


Eighteen Advised

by pealizard



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Actors, Eating Disorders, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fame, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:54:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 36,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pealizard/pseuds/pealizard
Summary: Akaashi is a child star, attempting to break into the adult world of acting. He gets a guest role on his idol Kōtarō Bokuto’s show, where he quickly learns he’s met his rival— In both the entertainment industry as well as for his manager’s attention.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou, Akaashi Keiji/Kuroo Tetsurou, Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 15
Kudos: 45





	1. Instances in Henderson

Akaashi leaned into his mirror and resisted the urge to pat at the makeup that was just applied to his face. He hummed flatly and sat back again. It was his first day on the set of  _ Instances in Henderson.  _ After a lifetime of childhood stardom, he was more than ready to shed that skin and try on something particularly more  _ adult.  _ He was eighteen, after all.

A particular problem he was having was that he was  _ nervous.  _ His heart threatened to slam out of his chest.  _ Instances in Henderson  _ was his long standing guilty pleasure. The show was horrendous to say the least. Classic, lazy, incredulous writing that was nearly trademarked by the soap opera industry and the obligatory beautiful faces were enough to reel him in. The real kicker was the star that wound up stealing the limelight, Kōtarō Bokuto. Yes, he truly got Akaashi, hook, line and sinker.

So, there he was, about to meet who he dared called his idol— ironically on the outside, though truly anything but on the inside, and his sweat threatened to ruin all the poor makeup artist had done.

“Keiji, time to go.”

His head snapped over to the producer and nodded, resisting the strong urge to touch his clothes too much. He gave himself one last look before following after her.

_ ‘Relax,’  _ he thought,  _ ‘How many shows have you done? Even if you flub this on purpose, it’ll only make this show better. The bar is already so low. It’s perfect for your debut of your new adult performances—‘ _

His breath hitched in his throat as he saw his idol in the flesh for the first time in his life. He’d met a lot of truly impressive celebrities, but never  _ him.  _ He wondered how his life would change once those eyes landed on him.

“Kōtarō,” the producer said. “This is your scene partner today. Keiji Akaashi.”

“What?” Bokuto said, not even looking at him. “That child actor? We don’t  _ do  _ kids on this show.”

“Uh,” she said. “He’s eighteen. And also right beside me, so maybe—“

Bokuto startled and seemed to actually notice Akaashi for the first time before easily smiling and shaking his hand, “You have your lines memorized? I know it’s hard with the short amount of time between getting the script and filming, but it’ll be okay.”

“Yeah,” Akaashi breathed, mesmerized by the feeling of his palm against his.

Bokuto pulled his hand away and wiped it on his pant leg. He was just about to speak again when they were actually called to set. Akaashi stood across a prop desk from Bokuto, who sat in the chair with his feet up on the desk.

“Okay, scene seven. Y’all remember?  _ ‘Mr. Amberson, I simply can’t help you.’.” _

Akaashi nodded and moved away behind a fake door.

_ ‘This is faster than I thought it’d be.’ _

Surely beginning with one of the more emotionally charged scenes was a good idea, otherwise they wouldn’t do it, but in  _ his humble opinion,  _ he was simply too nervous to act angry.

_ ‘You’re literally being paid thousands of dollars to do this. It is actually your job. Get it together. He was so kind. It’ll be fine.’ _

Akaashi took a deep breath as the directors and producers shouted their things and he waited for all that he really cared about—

_ “Action!” _

Akaashi took a deep breath, settled his face into deep anger and ‘kicked’ the door in. He charged further onto set and slammed his hands down on the desk. Bokuto shined a prop gun with a handkerchief and merely raised an eyebrow at it without ever looking up.

“Mr. Amberson, I don’t recall scheduling a meeting with you.”

_ “No!”  _ Akaashi yelled, “Because you’re  _ far too busy  _ to solve the death of my  _ wife!” _

Bokuto laughed, “Of course. I’m the best damn detective you’ll find in this country. And besides… Your wife…” Bokuto finally fully looked up, “She wasn’t special, Mr. Amberson.”

Akaashi leaned in further, staring daggers at him before sweeping several props from the desk to the floor,  _ “SHE WAS MY WIFE!” _

Bokuto stood and glanced out the blinds, “I simply cannot help you, Mr. Amberson. I sincerely apologize.”

Tense silence grew between them before Akaashi choked out a fake sob, “YOU ACT AS THOUGH YOU’VE NEVER LOST ANYONE.”

Akaashi covered his face, only barely so as to not obstruct the camera’s view, with his hands and continued to feign deep upset while Bokuto turned more towards the cameras with a deep, pensive look on his face. That went on for an uncomfortable amount of time before Akaashi threw his hands down.

“Have some compassion. Have a  _ heart,  _ Detective Fitzgerald. For the love of  _ God,”  _ Akaashi sobbed. “Bring peace back to my life.”

Bokuto turned violently to Akaashi, “Bring  _ peace back to your life? YOU THINK THERE’S ANY PEACE AFTER DEATH?” _

Akaashi gasped dramatically and took a step back as Bokuto held the gun up.

“The only way there’s peace after death is if it’s your own. Would you still like peace, Mr. Amberson? Because if so… Then perhaps I can help you after all.”

Akaashi cried out when Bokuto charged forward past the desk and held the gun to his forehead, directly between his eyes.

_ “SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” _

Akaashi’s eyes desperately searched his face until the director called for them to cut. It was only then that Akaashi noticed their proximity. How his hand automatically went to Bokuto’s wrist. How his smell dominated the tight space they shared. He opened his mouth to speak when Bokuto turned and walked away from him. Akaashi frowned and watched him walk away.

Bokuto only made it as far as the desk, where he took his phone out and slumped back in the chair. Akaashi frowned a bit harder before his attention was drawn to a small producer.

“Do you have nipple piercings?”

Akaashi’s eyes widened and he looked down to his sweater where his piercings were definitely visible, “Uh, yeah.”

“We need to cover them and reshoot. Lift your shirt.”

_ “Here?”  _ Akaashi prayed his makeup covered his blush.

“Yes, we’re wasting time. Please, lift your shirt.”

Akaashi mentally anguished as he noticed Bokuto glance up briefly from his peripheral. He slowly lifted his shirt and watched as the producer taped over his nipples.

“Mr. Amberson wouldn’t have pierced nipples,” was all she offered.

“No, I don’t think he would,” Akaashi sighed, sensing too many eyes on him.

She spent just a bit too much time pressing the tape into his skin before he was allowed to once again cover himself up. He wasn’t even sure why he was so embarrassed.

_ ‘Because they're not just for the style and you know that. And you know they know that. Plus now we need to redo a scene because of you. And Kōtarō Bokuto knows that. And he’s annoyed with you for it.’ _

He pursed his lips and nodded to himself, walking back to the door, mentally shaking it off and preparing to do even better that time.

_ ‘We’re just warming up.’ _

_ “Mr. Amberson— Mr.— Hey, hey, hey.” _

Akaashi clutched a hand to the fake gun wound on his chest and stared through the fake rain up at Bokuto, who held him on the ground. He faked labored breathing and moved his blood stained hand from the wound to Bokuto’s face.

“I— I can’t belie—believe you,” Akaashi breathed.

Bokuto stared down at him, “I promised I’d help you solve the death of your wife.”

“You—“ Akaashi gasped in a breath. “You shot me. Y-Y-You  _ killed my wife.” _

“And I thought  _ I  _ was the greatest detective in the country,” Bokuto smiled evilly.

Akaashi moved his hand to the front of Bokuto’s shirt and balled it up in his fist,  _ “THAT’S AN EASY TITLE TO MAINTAIN WHEN YOU’RE THE ONE COMMITTING THE CRIMES.” _

Bokuto laughed loudly and dropped Akaashi more fully onto the floor. Akaashi groaned loudly and slammed his fist into the rainy green screen below him. He heard the sounds of Bokuto’s fake gun cocking.

“Then, I hope you understand now there is no peace after death.”

“There may be within my own,” Akaashi heaved a breath in. “Get on with it, then. SHOOT M—“

_ Bang. Bang. Bang. _

Akaashi faked being impacted by three separate bullets before slumping down in the water. Bokuto walked over his body, muttering as he went.

“You really shouldn’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” 

Akaashi continued to just lay there until he heard the  _ “CUT!”  _ before getting up. He glanced over at Bokuto, who just stared at the director until the director looked back.

“Yeah.”

Bokuto nodded once before turning on his heel and departing entirely from the set. Akaashi frowned and looked at the producer, who didn’t even seem phased. He frowned a bit deeper and watched where Bokuto disappeared.

_ ‘Is he really actually a diva? I never would’ve guessed…’ _

Akaashi stayed through the extras, director and producers all congratulating him on his new break in the entertainment industry as well as his performance. He’d been under the impression that there’d be more than one day of filming, but quickly learned that was for the regular cast. Since he was just a guest star for that episode, there was only one particularly long day of filming for him.

_ ‘And I spent most of that sixteen hours being touched by Kōtarō Bokuto. How many people can say that? Even if he was a diva and barely spoke to me. What a dream!’ _

Akaashi began his walk back to his dressing room with a smile. He pushed his door open and closed it behind him with his foot, already working on the painful task of ripping tape off of his piercings.

“Ya know, I’m shocked a child star like you got here.”

Akaashi jumped and turned back, still mid-tear. He stared at Bokuto with wide eyes and a dangerous pulse.

All he could manage was, “What?”

Bokuto shifted on the couch until his ankle was crossed over his knee and his arm was draped over the back of it in the near perfect display of nonchalance.

“I’m just sayin’, ya got a particular reputation as a child star. Comin’ and gettin’ shot on my show won’t take the Mickey Mouse ears off your head.”

Akaashi frowned slightly and tore the rest of the tape away in one clean motion, “That’s fine. It’s just a start.”

_ “All About Thomas  _ wasn’t exactly an artistic  _ feat,”  _ Bokuto drawled.

Akaashi frowned again, makeup wipe on his face before glancing back at him, “Of course not. It was a family sitcom.”

“So, you don’t even stand by it?” Bokuto raised his eyebrows.

“Sure. It was a great time, you know, going through puberty on cameras. Those people are like family. It doesn’t change the fact that the show was objectively not a masterpiece. It wasn’t supposed to be.”

Bokuto was about to retort when there was a knock on the door. He stared between the door and the silent Akaashi.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?”

Another knock came, “Keiji, it’s Tetsurō.”

“Oh!” Akaashi perked up. “Come in!”

The door opened and Akaashi’s manager rushed inside, slamming the door behind him. Bokuto sank back into the couch and watched him.

“Hey, kid.”

“Hey!” Akaashi beamed at him, “What are you doing here?”

Kuroo threw his bag on the floor and poked him in the chest before producing a fat stack of fliers and slapping them in front of Akaashi, “You need to sign these. ALSO. Apparently the writers would like to keep you around for a bit longer.”

“What?” Akaashi and Bokuto asked at the same time.

“Yeah. If ya want, anyways,” Kuroo shrugged, tapping the papers to encourage Akaashi to begin signing, which he did. “But, I don’t recommend it. One episode will probably already hurt your career. Either that or one is the exact perfect amount. Ya showed up on this infamous shit show, now go get better jobs. Not that ya ever listen to me anyways.”

_ “Excuse me?”  _ Bokuto demanded.

Kuroo glanced at him, evidently already exhausted by their interaction, “C’mon, we all know this show isn’t exactly the  _ creme de la creme  _ of brilliant writing and acting. Keiji’s above this.”

Bokuto laughed incredulously, “How dare you come onto  _ this set  _ and start insulti—“

Kuroo held a hand up, “My only job here is managing  _ this  _ man. If you want to be in his dressing room for whatever reason, you have to listen to my honest opinion. I am not here to benefit you. Anyways, you’re wasting my time.”

Akaashi had busied himself with changing back into his pedestrian clothes while they squabbled. He got his black jeans on and was in the process of pulling on his equally black turtleneck when Kuroo laughed at him. He pointed at the pale spots surrounded by irritated red around his nipples.

“I told ya those were a bad idea, but ya n—“

“Yeah, yeah, I never listen. I like them. So, is that it? Just if I wanna stay on the show or not?”

“Uh huh, and  _ listen,”  _ Kuroo took a few thick scripts out of his bag before shooting Akaashi a look. Akaashi went back to signing the papers. “I know you  _ hate  _ listening to me even though I have brought you  _ such  _ success, but I really,  _ really  _ recommend against it. You even have some offers for  _ movies.  _ You can break out of the dead end of television.”

Akaashi hummed and stared down at where he signed his name millions of times, “What kind of movies?”

“There’s  _ Autumn Lilies.  _ Small town girl—“

“Pass.”

“Okay,  _ Charlie’s December.  _ Holiday film—“

“Pass.”

_ “Okay. Lies and Scandal.  _ Man in public office falls into several scandals and well,  _ lies.  _ His life falls apart. Finds—

“They asked  _ you  _ to be in  _ Lies and Scandal?”  _ Bokuto scoffed. “You could hardly handle  _ this.” _

Akaashi stared at him in shock, hoping all hurt was hidden away, “Wow. Thank you.”

Bokuto stood and took the script from Kuroo, flipping through the pages, “You’d never be able to do this. Look. Sex. Drugs. No, you could neve—“

Akaashi’s head snapped over to Kuroo, who ripped the script back, “I’ll do that one.”

“Okay, something about this one—“

“I already said I’d do it.”

“Okay, but there’s a sex scene in it.”

“With—“

“The male lead, yes.”

“Oh,” Akaashi breathed, looking down at the script. “I see.”

Bokuto cackled, “You’re not even gettin’ the lead?”

Kuroo glared at him, “You didn’t even get sent a script, so. Thanks.”

“Yeah, my agent’s kinda a hack,” Bokuto waved a hand around. “He thinks that since I have the show that means I don’t wanna do other things.”

“More like you have the show so you  _ can’t  _ do other things,” Kuroo rolled his eyes.

“Okay, but,” Akaashi put a hand on the script and looked up at him. “A gay sex scene? Wouldn’t that be, I don’t know, controversial?”

“You’re openly an ally. It may split your audience a bit, but I think it’ll ultimately be a good thing. Shift your brand a bit. Besides, it’s relatively tasteful as far as gay in the mainstream media goes. They want to attach a big name to it, so. The part is yours if you want it. It’ll shift you out of childhood stardom to say the least.”

“I’ll think about it,” Akaashi whispered. “It’s just such a bold—“

“Talk  _ and  _ sign,” Kuroo slapped the papers again.

Akaashi nodded and picked up his marker again, “It’s just such a bold move.”

“Yeah, bold is  _ good.” _

“You really think I could do it?”

“I think there’s nothing you  _ can’t  _ do. I wouldn’t represent you otherwise.”

Akaashi smiled up at him then frowned as he heard Bokuto scoff. They looked over to him and Kuroo tapped the papers again. Akaashi sighed and returned to signing.

“What’s your issue, exactly?”

“So,” Bokuto said. “What I’m hearing is the lead is still open.”

“Yep,” Kuroo said, leaning on the counter beside Akaashi, who glanced up at him.

“Noted,” Bokuto chriped, moving to the door.

“Good luck even getting through to them on a phone. No one wants to hire occupied soap stars.”

“I don’t  _ need  _ luck!” Bokuto laughed. “Later, losers.”

Akaashi frowned as the door slammed shut, “Never meet your heroes, Tetsurō.”

Kuroo turned and leaned over his shoulder to watch him sign, “Nope. I told you not to complain. The list of directors that won’t work with that guy is so long that you’d think it was a list of stars in the sky. I warned you.”

Akaashi shifted his ass against Kuroo’s hips, “Uh huh. Here comes the—“

“I told you so,” Kuroo laughed, running his hands up Akaashi’s front. The actor sighed involuntarily when Kuroo grabbed his piercings and tugged lightly over his shirt. “I told you so about these, too.”

“Mm, but you like them as much as I do.”

“Yeah,” Kuroo mumbled into his shoulder. “That’s my  _ personal  _ opinion. My  _ professional  _ opinion is that they’re stupid.”

Akaashi hummed again as Kuroo continued toying with his nipples and the front of his jeans became much too tight. He signed in silence for a bit, just enjoying his touch. It’d been far too long.

“I hate that you have other clients. Fire them. I make you all of your money anyways.”

“Not  _ all  _ of it,” Kuroo said. “Just  _ most  _ of it.”

“The sentiment still remains.”

“Nah, my other clients are pretty good, too.”

Akaashi pressed his ass back into his erection, feeling jealousy sting his heart,  _ “This  _ good, though?”

Kuroo ran his hands over his hips, “Maybe not, but still. Finish signing these tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Akaashi frowned deeply and turned to see him tucking his hard cock into the waistband of his pants. He picked up his bag and was nearly to the door when Akaashi called out.

“Wait, you’re going?”

“Yeah, I have a meeting.”

“Oh.”

Kuroo pursed his lips before crossing the room and kissing him softly, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Akaashi grabbed him by the wrist, “How am I getting home?”

Kuroo checked his watch, “I’ll call you a car.”

“Okay.”

Akaashi leaned up and pressed another kiss to his impatient lips. Kuroo attempted pulling away and sighed as Akaashi held him still by his sleeve.

“Keiji, I  _ need  _ to go.”

“Come over tonight?”

_ “Why?”  _ Kuroo sighed.

“You haven’t seen the new house yet. I’d like to give you the all inclusive tour. The bedroom is especially impressive.”

Kuroo looked him up and down then nodded once. Akaashi let go of him and crossed his arms over his chest while staring down. He listened to the door open and Kuroo exit from it.

“Finish signing those!”

“Yeah,” Akaashi breathed and turned back to the papers.

After a dedicated fifteen minutes of signing, he got a call telling him his car arrived and he packed his things up. He got to the front of the lot and noticed Bokuto smoking by the curb. He looked at him for a moment before staring forward and approaching the vehicle. Bokuto noticed him and got to him before he could get to the safe isolation of the backseat of a strange car.

“Hey, uh, Keiji.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow at both his cigarette and his grip on his sleeve, “What?”

Bokuto sheepishly smiled and moved his hands before flicking the cigarette away, “I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, here. You were a very generous scene partner.”

“Thanks,” Akaashi said flatly and went back to opening the car door.

_ “And,”  _ Bokuto put a hand in front of him, “I think we’d work well together again. Don’t you?”

“I’m not helping you get that lead.”

“Can you just get your agent to  _ consider  _ repping me? I seriously need out of the soap game.”

“Not my problem.”

“C’mon, your agent really seems like he’s got it all together. My guy is sleepin’ at the wheel.”

“He’s my manager.”

“Then why is he gettin’ you jobs?”

“Because I refuse to talk to my agent.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t need to answer that. Excuse me, I’ll be going—“

“Okay, can you ask your manager what it’d take for him to work for me? Or even just get me his number?”

Akaashi looked him up and down, “It’s in the phonebook.”

“What’s his name?”

Akaashi huffed and crossed his arms, “I’m only telling you this because I can’t wait to hear about how he rejects you. He. Won’t. Work. With. Soap. Stars.”

“I’ll change his mind.”

“Tetsurō Kuroo.”

_ “Thank you,”  _ Bokuto beamed and clasped his hands together in a praying motion.

“Uh huh. Can I leave now?”

“Yeah, thank you again.”

Akaashi looked him up and down again, “Tetsurō has been my manager for eight years now. He’s become one of the best and most  _ expensive  _ managers around. He won’t have time for you. I wouldn’t even try.”

Bokuto raised his eyebrows and blinked a few times before laughing, “Child stars are evil, huh? Don’t worry your inflated lil’ head over it. I’ll get ‘im.”

Akaashi felt sick at the idea of Kuroo dividing his attention even more with yet  _ another  _ client and even found himself moving from disappointed indifference towards Bokuto to dislike.

_ ‘You’re threatening what little I already have and I’ll be sure you don’t get what you want. He’s mine. I should have never taken this job. I should’ve never watched your show. I should have never assumed you’d be different than every other soap star—‘ _

“Anyways, see ya later! Thanks. I’ll be seein’ you more often when we both have the same manager, I’m sure!”

Akaashi glowered at the back of his head as he walked away before finally getting in the car and slamming the door.

Akaashi paced around his living room in satin pajamas as he waited for Kuroo. He checked the clock and saw he only had three minutes before he was late.

_ ‘Tetsurō is never late. Relax. He’ll be here.’ _

Akaashi began chewing on his nails when his front door opened, causing him to nearly jump out of his skin.

“Keiji? Sorry, traffic.”

Akaashi beamed at his voice and began heading in its direction, “It’s okay!”

Kuroo closed the door behind him and placed his bag down, gazing around the large foyer, “Wow. Can I pick ‘em or what?”

“Yeah,” Akaashi laughed, wrapping his arms around him.

Kuroo sighed and gently pushed him off, “Alright. Give me the tour. I’ll pretend like I didn’t help you buy it.”

“Okay!” Akaashi beamed again and took him by the hand before leading him through the overly large home.

Kuroo kept true to his promise and pretended to be surprised and impressed at all the right moments. Akaashi saved the main bedroom for last, pushing the door open. Kuroo gazed around at the nearly empty room. The bed existed in the floor under a couple steps. It was a circular mattress, larger than any bed he’d seen in person until then.

“This was what really sold me,” Kuroo said as he descended the two steps to the mattress.

“Yeah! It’s really cool, right? Comfortable, too.”

Kuroo settled into the hundreds of pillows and opened his arms, “Alright, let’s do this.”

Akaashi’s smile got impossibly larger as he hopped down the steps and laid in his arms. He nuzzled his face up into Kuroo’s neck, brushing his smile against his skin. Kuroo wasted no time in moving his hand to Akaashi’s ass.

“Lonely or something?”

“I miss you when you’re busy with  _ other  _ clients,” Akaashi groaned. “Fire them.”

“Absolutely not,” Kuroo muttered and pulled Akaashi over so he straddled his lap.

“C’mon, please?” Akaashi rubbed down into him and bit his lip.

“Save your pleases for something I may actually give you,” Kuroo mumbled as he pulled Akaashi’s shirt off.

Akaashi went to lean down and kiss him, but Kuroo avoided him in favor of sucking his piercing into his mouth. Akaashi immediately moaned and ground his hips down again, already horribly hard. Kuroo swirled his tongue over his nipple for a few seconds before biting gently. Akaashi took a fistful of his shirt as he moaned.

“C’mon, fuck me.”

“So soon? We haven’t even started foreplay.”

“Please,” Akaashi breathed, rocking his hips forward. “You were gone for weeks.”

“We still talked every day,” Kuroo said flatly, running his tongue up his neck.

“Ugh, hm, yeah, but,  _ ah,  _ about  _ work.” _

Kuroo rolled his eyes and moved out from under Akaashi and pushed him down onto his hands and knees, “Can’t even go thirteen days without this cock, huh?”

“No,” Akaashi whined.

“You  _ sure  _ you don’t wanna enjoy our time a bit more? There’s not a lot of it.”

Akaashi shivered at the feeling of Kuroo’s hands running over his back, “Why not?”

“Why not what?”

“Are you not staying tonight?” Akaashi asked the mattress.

“No.”

“Oh.”

“So, do you want to take this slow or what? It’s whatever you want, but I’d advise you to enjoy yourself  _ thoroughly.” _

“Okay,” Akaashi nodded.

He closed his eyes against Kuroo’s lips travelling from the base of his spine back up to his ear. He sighed at his tongue licking along and even into his ear. Akaashi rocked his hips back into Kuroo’s, gut jolting at his bulge against his ass. Kuroo ran his hands over Akaashi’s stomach and tugged on his piercings again.

Akaashi moaned and turned his head to engage in an open mouthed kiss with him. Their tongues tangled together and their teeth hit each other as they went. Akaashi breathed heavily into his mouth, nearing orgasm just from the friction in his pajamas.

“Tetsurō, I’m gonna cum.”

Kuroo furrowed his brow and pulled back, ceasing all movement, though he still pulled on his piercings, “Seriously?”

“Yes,” Akaashi blushed, the lack of movement doing nothing to push him from the edge.

Kuroo moved one hand from his nipple to graze over his bulge. He had to unstick the satin material away from the tip of his dick, where they were slicked together by a large amount of precum.

“Wow,” he breathed. “Alright, then.”

Akaashi moaned and pushed up into his hand, “Please.”

“Please what?” Kuroo asked, tugging on his nipple ring with one hand and tightening his grasp on his cock through his pants.

_ “I don’t know,”  _ Akaashi moaned, thrusting forward.

“I’m still fucking you even if you cum right now.”

Akaashi moaned again,  _ “Please.” _

Kuroo bit into his shoulder and moved his hands away to rip Akaashi’s pants down. Kuroo bent over to view the trail of precum that created between his cock and pants. The actor’s cock jumped at the sudden cold.

“Oh,  _ shit,”  _ Kuroo moaned quietly.

Akaashi groaned and crawled forward to the head of the bed, leaned over the stairs and opened a hatch in the floor, rifling around for a moment before turning and throwing a bottle of lube to Kuroo, which he caught easily. Kuroo popped the bottle open and began pouring it onto his fingers.

“Bring that ass over here.”

Akaashi hummed and crawled back over to him. Kuroo pulled him into a kiss while nudging his legs apart with his knee. He reached down below his legs and ran a finger around his hole before pushing a finger in. Akaashi moaned and wrapped his arms around his neck as he leaned more heavily into him.

His moans fell rapidly as Kuroo pushed another finger in him and began stretching him as he thrusted them in and out.

_ “Tetsurō.” _

“Lay down.”

Akaashi happily complied, laying on his back and spreading his legs widely. He adjusted his position a bit and slid his eyes shut, prepared to enjoy himself. To his surprise, Kuroo didn’t continue with his fingers, but rather his tongue. Akaashi gasped and his hands immediately went to Kuroo’s hair as he licked at his hole, teasing the tip of his tongue inside of it.

_ “Oh,”  _ Akaashi moaned loudly, one leg instinctively going over his shoulder and tugging on Kuroo’s hair, getting a moan from him as well.

Kuroo pushed his hips up a tad with his grip on his ass and pushed his tongue further inside of him. Akaashi moaned loudly, pulling at his hair.

“Oh, I love it.”

Kuroo brought his tongue up and licked over his balls, then from the base of his cock to the tip where he sucked lightly. Akaashi moaned quietly and ran his hands appreciatively through his hair before gently pulling him back up by his face to kiss him sweetly.

Kuroo pushed his pants and underwear down to his knees and groped blindly for the lube once again as their kisses got heavier. He found it after a long moment and opened it, applying a good amount to his hand and distributing it between his cock and around and slightly inside of Akaashi before lining himself up.

“Ready?” He breathed into his mouth.

_ “Please,”  _ Akaashi pushed forward.

Kuroo moaned as the head of his cock disappeared inside of him and swiftly thrusted forward to lose the rest of it, too. Akaashi gasped loudly and gripped his shoulders as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

“Oh,  _ yes.” _

Kuroo moaned quietly and began slipping in and out of him, his leg flailing limply over his shoulder still. He pulled his lips from Akaashi’s and watched his face as he fucked him. He held him down by the hip when he attempted pushing up into him faster and used his other hand to run over his stomach, stopping at the dip beneath his ribs.

“You feel so good,” Akaashi moaned, barely cracking his eyes open.

“Yeah?” Kuroo grunted.

“I’m gonna cum,” Akaashi squirmed under him, panting heavily.

Kuroo aggressively ceased his movements. Akaashi whined loudly and threw his head back, the mere sensation of being stretched by Kuroo more than he could take.

“No, you’re still—“

Their heads turned down as Kuroo’s phone rang loudly on the mattress, where it fell from his pocket. Akaashi sighed disappointedly when he reached for it. Kuroo raised an eyebrow at him.

“Relax. This number has been calling me all evening. Besides,  _ you’d  _ want me to answer you regardless of what I was doing.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes and laid back with his arms curled above his head as Kuroo answered his phone.

“Hallo? Tetsurō Kuroo.”

Kuroo stuck his fingers in Akaashi’s mouth and Akaashi began sucking on them before realizing their true purpose and bit them to stifle a moan as Kuroo began thrusting again.

“Kōtarō Bokuto. What business do you have calling me?”

Akaashi felt panic strike through his heart at the name. He glared up and Kuroo shoved his fingers further in his mouth as he gave a particularly hard thrust. Despite Akaashi’s fear he couldn’t stop a loud moan as Kuroo hit him in his prostate. He  _ hoped  _ Bokuto could hear it. He almost smirked at the glare he got from Kuroo.

The manager rolled his eyes and put the call on speaker and placed it far off to the side so it wouldn’t slide under them in their movements.

_ “—Think that you should consider it.” _

Kuroo wrapped his arms under Akaashi’s shoulders and pressed his face into his neck, offering him small kisses as he slammed into him, attempting to keep noise to a minimum.

“Cool pitch. I don’t represent soap actors. Goodbye.”

_ “I’m way more than a soap actor! I could prove that with you standing behind me!” _

Akaashi glared in the direction of the phone and opened his mouth to speak when Kuroo slapped a hand over his face to silence him.

“No. I already have more clients than I need.”

That brought Akaashi some peace and he licked Kuroo’s hand in an attempt to express his gratitude. He took a hand to pull his free leg up by the thigh and Kuroo moaned directly into his ear. He heard it more in his bones than in his ear.

_ “I really think I could make you some good money. What would it tak—“ _

“I  _ told  _ you. No one signs an occupied soap actor. Those things go on forever. It’s a scheduling nightmare. Soaps are an end game, not a starting game. Call me back when you quit the show or otherwise get terminated—“ Kuroo paused and sucked in a deep breath as Akaashi leaned up and bit his lip, pulling on it with his teeth. He pulled away violently, visibly resisting the urge to moan at the pain. “Terminated and I’ll reconsider reconsidering.”

Akaashi frowned at him but Kuroo just rolled his eyes and shook his head. Akaashi smiled at that and happily resumed meeting his hips. Kuroo covered his mouth again as the faintest moan left his lips.

_ “Tell ya what. I’ve been at this show for six years. Get me the lead in that movie and I’ll quit immediately.” _

“No.”

_ “C’mon! Whaddya want?” _

Kuroo rolled his hips deeply into Akaashi’s, eliciting a loud, muffled groan from him. He nearly drooled at the way his eyes rolled back and his red cheeks only got darker beneath his large hand. In fact, he forgot he was on the phone entirely at that moment.

_ “Hello?” _

“Oh, right. Uh,” Kuroo cleared his throat, “No. Find someone else. I’m not the one.”

_ “I’m not givin’ up! If you can make that kid so successful imagine what ya could do with real talent.” _

Akaashi’s head snapped over and he glared harshly at the phone. Kuroo glared down at him and pulled his face back harshly by the grip he already had on him. Akaashi met his eye and immediately crumbled under his gaze. He stared unblinkingly up into Kuroo’s eyes as he thrusted with a new persistent firmness. Akaashi pulled his leg up further and Kuroo was about to groan before remembering the phone again.

“Trust me,” Kuroo nearly panted. “He’s extremely talented.”

_ “You know what I mean.” _

“I don’t. Excuse me, now. I’m busy.”

Kuroo ignored whatever Bokuto said next in favor of hanging up on him. Akaashi moaned loudly immediately as Kuroo began slamming into him.

_ “You’re such a brat,”  _ Kuroo moaned.

Akaashi couldn’t speak as his entire body tensed while Kuroo repeatedly slammed into his prostate. He dropped his leg in favor of jerking himself off at a very rapid pace. Kuroo held him tightly from under his shoulders and dug his teeth into his neck. Their moans mingled together as the pace only quickened and the room began getting hot.

“Tetsurō— Oh, my  _ god, Tetsurō. Yes.” _

“Cum.”

Akaashi groaned loudly and jerked himself harder, listening intently to Kuroo’s moans and feeling his body on top of his and his cock stretching him out beautifully.

“Talk to me.”

“C’mon, you were gonna cum this who—“

_ “Please,”  _ Akaashi gasped.

Kuroo groaned loudly as Akaashi bucked his hips up at a particular firm thrust, “Cum for me, baby.”

“Yeah,” Akaashi breathed, digging his nails into Kuroo’s back.

“Oh, you’re so beautiful.”

Akaashi moaned loudly and attached his mouth to Kuroo’s neck, feeling his pulse in his lips.

“Yeah, you’re my best boy. Don’t you feel good? Don’t I take care of you? I  _ love  _ taking care of you, baby.”

Akaashi’s moans grew pathetically loud, on the verge of cries.

“You love taking my big cock, huh? You love it when I come here and fuck you like a little whore—“

“Your whore,” Akaashi moaned.

Kuroo paused briefly, “My whore.”

Akaashi’s hand felt numb with the speed he stroked himself at. He gasped and moaned, entirely lost in the sensation of Kuroo’s cock slamming into him.

_ “Oh, fuck,”  _ Akaashi cried. “Again. Please, again.”

Kuroo leaned into his ear,  _ “My whore.” _

_ “Ohhh,”  _ Akaashi cried.

“Ah, fuck,” Kuroo pushed himself up and watched the way he slipped in and out of his client easily and how he was unravelling beneath him. “Fuck, Keiji, look at you.  _ Fucking gorgeous.” _

Akaashi moaned loudly and arched his back,  _ “Again, Tetsurō— Please.” _

“You’re my fucking whore,” Kuroo moaned as he continued watching his cock disappear into him. “Mine. No one else’s. Entirely mine—“

Akaashi glanced up at him and met his eye for a fraction of a second before crying out as he came all over himself. Kuroo panted as he hungrily watched him cover himself.

“Oh, that’s goddamn right,” Kuroo groaned.

Akaashi continued stroking himself, riding out his orgasm as Kuroo continued slapping into his prostate at a rate of which was incomprehensible to him in his dazed state.

“You’re so good for me,” Kuroo moaned as he threw his own head back. “Ugh, so fucking good. Yeah. Oh, fuck yeah.”

Akaashi dropped his limp dick and ran his hand up Kuroo’s side as he moaned loudly. Kuroo relentlessly hammered into him for a few more moments before falling over him, slowing to a very slow, firm pace instead as he came inside of him. Akaashi moaned lowly at the sensation of being filled by his most favourite person.

“Oh,  _ god.  _ How does that never get less good?” Kuroo panted.

Akaashi moaned again as Kuroo began going soft inside of him, “Oh, my god.”

Kuroo stayed over him for a few minutes as he caught his breath before sitting back and pulling out. He wiped his limp cock on Akaashi’s thigh before patting him on his cheek.

“Alright. Thanks for having me, then.”

Akaashi pushed himself up on his elbows as Kuroo stood and pulled his pants up again, “You’re going?”

“Yes, I told you that.”

“But why?”

“I need to go home.”

“This is your home, too, though,” Akaashi frowned.

Kuroo wouldn’t look at him as he moved off the bed, “I’ll get you a cloth before I go.”

Akaashi stood on shaky legs and managed to sit on where the floor turned into a step as Kuroo returned with a warm washcloth. He began wiping at himself and glanced up at Kuroo.

“You should stay, though.”

“I haven’t been home in weeks, Keiji. I miss my bed.”

“It’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Nah, I’m going to it now. It’s calling my name.”

“Okay. Wait, though. I want to walk you out.”

“Sure.”

Akaashi moved into his closet and opened a drawer at the bottom for a pair of underwear, then removed a new pair of pajamas from a hanger. He returned and smiled as Kuroo remained, even if he  _ was  _ on his phone. Akaashi approached and ran his hands up his chest before wrapping his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Kuroo hummed absently and moved to staring at his phone behind Akaashi’s back from over his shoulder.

“Ready?”

“Yeah,” Akaashi whispered.

He dropped his arms from around Kuroo and walked just behind him down to the foyer once again. Kuroo stood in silence, typing on his phone for a long moment while Akaashi just watched him. He finally sighed and turned his phone off before pocketing it and picking his bag up.

“Alrighty, so  _ tomorrow,  _ we meet at three pm at your agent’s office to discuss what our next move is.”

“Uh huh.”

“And you’re going to  _ behave  _ and be nice to him.”

_ “Uh huh,”  _ Akaashi strained. “Hey,  _ I  _ have an idea.”

“Hm?”

“Quit managing entirely and I’ll just pay you to stay here and fuck me all day,” Akaashi laughed.

“Sounds dangerously close to prostitution,” Kuroo snorted and opened his bag up.

Akaashi frowned as he handed him the script to the movie he said he’d consider doing simply out of spite. He stared down at it and pursed his lips.

“Just give it a look,” Kuroo dismissed with a wave of his hand. “You finished signing those fliers?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Bring them with you tomorrow. I’ll have a car sent for you, like usual. And uh, Keiji?”

“Yeah?” Akaashi’s eyes snapped back up.

Kuroo rubbed his neck, “I dunno how to say this nicely, so I’m not even gonna try. You’re not supposed to be eating between nine and nine, right? You haven’t been doing that, have you?”

Akaashi covered his stomach where Kuroo glanced and ran his tongue over his teeth, “No?”

“Keiji…”

“I get hungry,” Akaashi looked away.

“Drink some  _ Coke Zero  _ if it’s that bad. Or sleep early.”

“I can’t sleep early when you give me a million things to sign…”

“It’s for charity.”

“I know.”

Kuroo dug back into his bag and handed him a pack of gum, “That may help, too.”

“Is it sugar free?” Akaashi glanced down and felt the disappointment grow when it was in fact sugarless.

_ ‘Of course it is,’  _ he thought bitterly.

“Of course it is,” Kuroo said and went back into his bag, then handed Akaashi something else.

Akaashi turned and placed the script and gum on the nearest surface before he stared down at the framed photo of the cast from his debut show, where he stood as a child along with the otherwise adult cast. He beamed at it before staring up at Kuroo.

“What’s this?”

“Housewarming gift.”

“You didn’t need—“

“Nah, you made me a solid couple thousand today, it’s no biggie.”

“It isn’t about the money,” Akaashi chuckled, holding the frame so tightly his knuckles went white. The sentimentality of the gift was enough to make him forget the slight to his body. At least for the time being.

“Okay,” Kuroo yawned, “See ya tomorrow then.”

“Hey,” Akaashi said. “Promise me you won’t sign Kōtarō Bokuto.”

Kuroo furrowed his brow, “Why?”

“I don’t like him.”

“I don’t plan on it, but I’m also not making that promise.”

Akaashi frowned, “Why not?”

“Because it’s my job, so it’s my decision. The clients I pick up don’t affect you. Even then, if you feel I’m neglecting you, you should just find a better manager.”

“Are you serious?”

“Uh huh. I’m doing you a service and if that service doesn’t satisfy you then you should find someone else who can. It really is that simple. Talk to me first, though, obviously. Losing you would be a blow.”

“Oh.”

Kuroo smiled at him before leaning in and kissing his cheek, “Get some sleep.”

“Yeah.”

“Skip the kitchen. Brush your teeth. Straight to bed.”

Akaashi ran his tongue over his teeth again, suddenly very self conscious, “Okay.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Akaashi stared at the door for long after Kuroo departed through it. He eventually tore his eyes away from it and stared down at the photo. None of the other cast ever reached out to him anymore. He supposed that was normal. It’d been around ten years since the show ended. He sucked on his lip and placed it face down on the next to the script and locked the door before turning back to the rest of the large, empty, cold house.

He didn’t need a large house. He told Kuroo as much as they were looking, but he said it’d be good for PR events and parties.

_ ‘But what about the rest of the time?’ _

Akaashi slowly passed through the house, and ran his hand over his empty, nearly aching stomach as he bypassed the kitchen. He felt the post-fuck ache in his body as he made his way up the staircase and stood in the doorway to his room. He stared at his bed for a long, long time before turning back around and remembering his teeth. He moved down the long hall to the furthest bathroom and turned the light on inside. He readied his toothbrush and began scrubbing his teeth, avoiding looking at the sheet he used to cover the mirror with. He overused the toothpaste. He always did. If he used enough, he’d feel too sick to crave food. That was a good thing.

_ ‘In this world, anyway.’ _

He spit and rinsed his mouth thoroughly before turning and shutting the light out. He stared at his bedroom again from the doorway before pursing his lips and shutting the door quietly and turning to go to a guest room instead.

Akaashi climbed into the cold bed and pulled the heavy blankets over himself, curling into them and into himself in turn. His weary head fell into sleep with dizzy thoughts of Kōtarō Bokuto, scripts and Tetsurō Kuroo all running around rampant.

_ ‘You’ll feel better in the morning. You always do.’ _


	2. Prepare Yourself

Bokuto bounced his knee restlessly as he dialled Tetsurō Kuroo’s office for the third time that day. It was only noon. Some may call that overkill, he called it _tenacity._

_“Kōtarō, I already told you I was given the order to not take your calls.”_

He sighed at the grumpy receptionist, “Yeah, but there’s _news._ Just lemme talk to him.”

 _“I can’t do that,”_ she sighed. _“What else can I do to make you stop calling?”_

“Hm,” Bokuto pretended to think. He already knew his next move. “Give me the name and number of Akaashi Keiji’s agent and I’ll let up for a bit.”

_“I can’t give out private information, sir.”_

“It isn’t private, though! He’s a talent agent! C’mon, now I _know_ you’re just workin’ against me.”

She sighed heavily, _“Fine.”_

Bokuto excitedly hopped up the stairs of the glass building that housed the office of Akaashi’s agent. He waited by the receptionist’s desk before he was allowed into the office of the man himself. He burst through the door and immediately faltered at his heavy glare.

He was shocked at who he looked at. Bleached hair tied back into a bun with the most _outrageous_ roots Bokuto had ever seen. He held up a finger to the actor as he listened to someone on the phone.

“Raise it by five or we walk. — No, I’m not joking. — You and I both know that your project falls apart without it. — Uh huh. — _Great. You do that, then._ — Yep. — Okay. Yeah. Let me know. — Do _not_ call this number until you know absolutely next time.”

Bokuto’s eyes travelled to the nameplate on the desk and read, _‘Kenma Kozume’._

“Okay, _you,”_ Kenma discarded his phone on his desk and sat back. “I’ll do it.”

 _“You’ll sign me?”_ Bokuto’s jaw dropped.

“Yep.”

“Wow! That’s incred—“

“My current clients are almost too easy,” Kenma stared at his fingernails. “I don’t even have to _try_ to get them jobs. A challenge would be a nice change of pace.”

Bokuto frowned, “What?”

Kenma didn’t glance up, “Yep. You know as well as I do that no one wants to work with you. You’re a diva. It’s no secret. That being said, I look forward to collecting ten percent of your upcoming projects. Of course, that means you need to quit your current shit show.”

“I already did. Next week is my last episode,” Bokuto muttered, feeling anger and hurt in his chest, but attempted to keep it buried. “I die in a horse crash.”

 _“Horse crash?”_ Kenma snorted. “At least you go out in a blaze of glory.”

“Yeah, well—“

“A completely unrelated, surely random, blaze of glory that ties up no loose ends.”

“...Sure.”

“Okay, that’s all. I’ll call you with offers if I have any.”

“Sure…”

“You have a manager?”

“No.”

Kenma hardly glanced at him but Bokuto felt naked, “Find one.”

“I’d like Tetsurō Kuroo, but he refuses to take my calls.”

Kenma looked up at that and hummed as he sat back, “That so? Tetsurō’s ignoring you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll consider that my first challenge, then.”

Bokuto’s eyebrows shot up, “You’re gonna try and get me Tetsurō?”

“I _will_ get you Tetsurō.”

“Wow,” Bokuto felt goosebumps crawl over his skin at his certain tone.

Kenma picked up his phone again, “I earn my money. That’s why people want me. Don’t stress your dramatic lil’ head.”

“I’m no—“

“What kinda projects are we looking for? No more soaps. I don’t mess with soaps.”

“Actually… I really have my eye on the lead for _Lies and Scandal.”_

Kenma’s eyes lit up, “Is that so?”

“Yes. That’s so.”

“I already have one client on that project, but I have an in with the director. It won’t be easy, but… It’s possible,” Kenma’s voice grew softer as his eyes grew brighter, still staring at his screen. “This should be good. I don’t like losing. I’ll call you with any news. Goodbye.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Thank you so mu—“

 _“Goodbye,”_ Kenma said, turning in his chair with his phone a few inches from his face.

“...Goodbye.”

Akaashi stared intently at the clock on the microwave. He squinted his eyes and glared, daring it to turn one minute towards the future. He was about to punch a hole into it when it _finally_ changed over and read nine o’clock in the morning.

He immediately shoved his spoon into the yogurt in his hand and finished the entire thing in three bites. Then, he regretted that deeply because it was gone before he could enjoy it. He stared at the empty container before dragging his spoon around the plastic, scooping up whatever was left and licking the spoon clean.

He turned and raised his eyebrow as his phone rang on the island counter before wandering over curiously. His face lit up and he easily abandoned the yogurt container to the counter while keeping his spoon in his mouth as he picked up.

“Tetsurō, hi!” He shouted around his spoon.

_“What are you eating?”_

“Nothing…” Akaashi quietly placed the spoon down.

 _“Uh huh. Listen. You’re not gonna like this—“_ Akaashi’s heart faltered. _“I’m signing Kōtarō.”_

“What?” Akaashi breathed, torn between hunger, anger and sadness. Also a touch of betrayal. “Why?”

_“Kenma—“_

“Kenma,” Akaashi said flatly.

_“Yep. Kenma.”_

_‘Fucking stupid Kenma and his fucking stupid old flame with Tetsurō. He should know his place. I’m dropping him. I don’t need him. I hate him. He hates when I’m happy. He hates me and I hate him for hating me. He’s just jealous. So jealous—‘_

_“Anyways, have you decided if you’re doing that movie yet or what? Deadline to answer is tomorrow.”_

“You think I should do it?” Akaashi slumped down onto the counter.

_“Yes.”_

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

_“Kōtarō is auditioning for the lead.”_

“He won’t get it.”

Kuroo sighed, _“Okay, well, make your decision assuming he will because if he_ does _get it then you’ll have to live with that.”_

“He won’t. Get. It. Tetsurō.”

_“Okay, okay, relax. I’m just saying, there’s a chance. Act accordingly. I’ll call back later for your final response.”_

“Do you want to come have dinner with me tonight?” Akaashi asked meekly.

Kuroo was silent for a long time, _“I’m meeting with Kōtarō over dinner tonight.”_

Akaashi felt his heart begin to wilt.

_‘It’s already starting. Why did you even hire Tetsurō to start with you stupid, stupid idiot? No, you didn’t hire him. You were ten. It’s your stupid parents fault your heart is going to break. Blame them—‘_

_“But,”_ Kuroo strained. _“I’ll come sleep there with you tonight. If you want.”_

“Yeah?” Akaashi breathed, life breathed back into his soul.

_“Uh huh.”_

“Okay,” Akaashi couldn’t stop the smile that stretched across his lips.

_“Okay. Buh-bye, then.”_

“Bye! I’ll see you later.”

Akaashi beamed at his phone as the call dropped and straightened out, already envisioning the evening to come.

“I gotta go to the store,” Akaashi looked down at his disheveled pajamas. “And change. And shower. So much to do…”

Kuroo sat at his usual table at his usual restaurant and checked his watch impatiently.

 _‘Who demands a meeting and shows up late?’_ He thought irritably. _‘If he isn’t here in three minutes, I’m leaving.’_

Kuroo was about to stand when Bokuto sat across from him. Kuroo kept his hands folded over his mouth as he stared at him. Bokuto shifted heavily and ran his hand through his hair to get it out of his face.

“I am _so sorry,”_ he heaved. “I got caught in a crowd, I couldn’t get out.”

Kuroo examined the way his clothes were disheveled and he seemed genuinely distressed. He was unused to dealing with paparazzi and rampant fans as he always managed to generally keep Akaashi away from them and his other clients had a generally solid team to do that for them.

“That’s alright. This time.”

“This time?” Bokuto smiled. “Does that mean—“

“Yes, fortunately for you, you’re a hot mess and Kenma is bored. Even more fortunately for you, I owed him a favor. So, I’m _trying_ it. I’ll only sign on with you for a three month trial period. If you’re not a good client, I reserve the right to pull out of this arrangement. My time is valuable.”

Bokuto beamed and nodded enthusiastically, “Yeah, of course! Sure, yeah. A good client. I’m a good client!”

“We’ll see about that,” Kuroo pulled a stack of papers from his bag and placed them in front of Bokuto along with a pen. “Initial where it’s highlighted and sign at the bottom of the last page. It just details the arrangement as I’ve explained as well as I get 20% of any project Kenma gets you signed onto.”

 _“Twenty?”_ Bokuto raised his eyebrows.

“I told you, my time is valuable.”

“Is that even legal?”

Kuroo smiled and sat back, “Uh huh. Agents can only take 10% but managers can take whatever they damn please.”

Bokuto paused with the pen over the paper, “Is that how much Keiji pays you?”

“Nope. He gives me ten percent.”

“Then why am I twenty?”

“You’re going to be more work and I’ve been with Keiji for almost ten years. You could say I’m a bit fond.”

“Since he was eight?” Bokuto muttered. “He said you’ve only been working for him for eight.”

“Yeah, eight years. He was ten. What about it?”

“Nothin’, just makin’ sure, I guess,” Bokuto said as he began signing.

Kuroo watched with a blank face as he went through the papers then took them back just as he pulled the pen up after signing the final signature. He put them back in his bag and plucked his pen from Bokuto’s hand before slipping it in his breast pocket.

“I’ll get that notarized, then we’ll be in business.”

“So, that’s that?” Bokuto asked confusedly.

“Uh huh. Now here’s where we start,” Kuroo muttered, sliding a plastic card to him. “I got you a gym membership, which you will pay me back for. Prepayed for a year. You’re going at _least_ four times a week. We’ll find you a trainer. _Then.”_

Kuroo pulled out a new stack of papers, bound in a transparent folder. Bokuto took it and frowned deeply as he flipped through it.

“Starting today, you’re on a diet. Also, sober. No more boozin’ it up. No more drugs. I don’t care about the cigarettes if it helps ya stick to your diet. Go to the dentist, get your teeth whitened. Your twitter is out of your hands. Forget the password. Understood?”

Bokuto frowned even deeper and watched him stand, “Yeah, I guess. Are you leaving? We didn’t eat.”

“It’s like you weren’t listening. You don’t eat anything at any time that isn’t written on those papers,” Kuroo grumbled as he took his phone out. “Anyway, yeah, I have a date. I’m off the clock. Try not to have any issues between now and seven tomorrow morning.”

“Issues?”

“Uh huh. Leave through the kitchen, I’ll call you a car. They’ll call you when they’re here. I’ll be in touch.”

“Sure. Thanks again.”

Kuroo glanced over at him and looked him up and down, “Don’t fuck this up. Your career is just starting.” “I won’t, I swear.”

Kuroo looked back at him, “And, Kōtarō.”

“Yes,” Bokuto sat straight, intrigue all over his face.

“I don’t make stars. I make idols. Prepare yourself. You’re either in this or you’re ruined.”

Bokuto’s eyes widened before a large smile ravaged his face, “Oh, I’m in.”

Kuroo stared at him for a long moment, studying him. Bokuto didn’t back down. Kuroo hummed and turned back.

“Good. Later.”

“Bye.”

Kuroo typed the code into the lock outside of Akaashi’s house before stepping inside, immediately frowning at the scent of food and soft music coming from the direction of the kitchen.

_‘How many times do I have to tell him? I hate nagging him about food.’_

He placed his bag on the floor and locked the door as he kicked his shoes off. Then he made his way to the kitchen and stood in the doorway as Akaashi hummed himself around to the music, stirring in a pan. He wore a long, black, silk robe and glasses. He stared until Akaashi noticed him and shot him a shy smile.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” Kuroo said as he stepped into the room, placing a hand over Akaashi’s stirring one. “Keiji… It’s ten.”

“I know!” Akaashi smiled up at him. “It’s for you.”

Kuroo frowned, “I’m not eating in front of you when you can’t eat.”

Akaashi glanced at his crotch, “I plan on eating, don’t worry about me.”

“That so?” Kuroo smiled as he moved his hand away finally.

“Mhm!” Akaashi removed the pan from the heat. “Besides, if I feed you then it's different. I don’t know how to explain it. Just trust me!”

Kuroo’s frown returned as he watched Akaashi’s shaking hands as he began plating the food. He moved behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist before pressing his face between his shoulder blades. Akaashi turned in his arms after a moment with a fork full of food and placed it against his lips.

“Try it!”

Kuroo stared wearily at it.

“I tried a new recipe, I think you’ll like it. I didn’t taste it or anything, though. So, I hope it’s good.”

Kuroo reluctantly pulled the food from the fork with his teeth and attempted not to wince at the overindulgence of salt. He covered his mouth with his hand and forced the food down before smiling weakly and nodding.

“So good, Keiji.”

“Yeah?” Akaashi beamed. “I’m so glad you think so! Here—“

Kuroo placed his hand over his on the plate, “I think you forgot I just came from a dinner.”

Akaashi frowned slightly, “Oh, yeah. Sorry—“

Kuroo cut his frown off with a kiss. Akaashi hummed contentedly and turned back in his arms, wrapping his arms around his neck in turn. Kuroo felt a painful tug in his stomach as Akaashi’s tongue searched around his mouth in a different way than normal.

Kuroo sighed as he felt Akaashi’s loose erection against his leg and heaved him up into his arms. Akaashi wrapped his legs around his waist and held him close as they kissed and Kuroo began walking them out of the cursed room.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Akaashi said, pushing on his chest.

“What?”

“I have something warming in the oven. Can you get it out?”

Kuroo glanced at him before sighing and turning, carrying Akaashi back to the oven. Akaashi giggled and grabbed the oven mitt, slipping it over his outstretched hand. The actor clung to his front as he opened the oven and removed the croissants from within. Kuroo placed the pan down and shook the mitt off before turning them back with his hands on Akaashi’s ass. They got to the door before Akaashi startled up again.

“Wait—“

_“What?”_

“You didn’t turn the oven off.”

Kuroo groaned and turned back again and Akaashi laughed brightly as he leaned over the stove to turn off the oven.

“We good here?”

“Yes!” Akaashi chuckled and rested his head down on Kuroo’s shoulder.

“Fantastic.”

Kuroo brought them up to Akaashi’s room and frowned as he stared down at the bed, which was distinctly untouched since the last time he’d been there.

_‘Don’t ask. You probably don’t want to know. Celebrities are weird.’_

Kuroo feathered a kiss over Akaashi’s ear as he fell to his knees on the mattress and slowly bent them over to place Akaashi down. The actor smiled up at him and slowly ran his hands over his neck before allowing them to fall above his head.

The manager ran his hands over Akaashi’s front before landing on the belt of the robe, pulling at the loose bow until it came undone.

_‘It’s like unwrapping a gift. A very beautiful gift. And it’s just what I asked for every single time.’_

He pushed the fabric aside and attempted to hide his admiration at what could only really be called a series of ribbons covering his skin. Kuroo dipped his fingers over a red strap covering Akaashi’s breast bone. He then ran his hand down to his exposed erection and ran his fingers lightly over it, equally admiring the way it jumped at his touch.

“Ravage me,” Akaashi drawled dramatically before laughing.

Kuroo’s eyes flicked up to his flushed cheeks and white smile, “Sure. You need to eat first, though.”

Akaashi beamed and sat on his knees before sliding the robe off of his shoulders. Kuroo hummed and caught his face in both hands before pressing a few large kisses to his mouth. Akaashi sighed lightly against his mouth and wrapped his fingers into his shirt. Their kisses became wetter as Akaashi reached down and began unbuttoning his pants while Kuroo made light work of discarding his jacket and then his shirt. He sighed as his own cock was exposed to the sudden chill of Akaashi’s bedroom, then moaned lightly as Akaashi’s frigid fingers wrapped around his length.

He gently pushed Akaashi down by the shoulder and he gladly took the direction to take his cock. Akaashi stared up from below as he ran his tongue up Kuroo’s cock before sucking lightly on the head. Kuroo sighed and ran his hand through his hair and as far down his back as he could reach.

Akaashi flattened his tongue and took a good amount of his cock before going forward again, taking it all at once. Kuroo groaned at the sudden wet warmth and they way Akaashi’s eyes squinted shut against his tears. Kuroo groaned and threw his head back as he grabbed Akaashi by the hair and pulled his head to the base of his cock, feeling his nose and forehead rub into his abdomen, absolutely delighting in the sounds of him choking around him. He released and relished in the loud slurping sound that filled the silence of the room.

Akaashi took a second to breathe before bobbing his head back over his cock, being sure to keep his hands flat on the mattress and to do all the work solely with his mouth and tongue. Kuroo moaned loudly and rocked into his mouth, feeling his gut tightening. He squeezed his eyes shut and held Akaashi’s head still as he slammed into his mouth, absolutely no regard for his throat’s wellbeing. 

_‘He doesn’t have any jobs between now and when he’ll actually need his voice. It’s fine. It’s more than fine. It’s fucking fantastic.’_

Akaashi moaned and grunted around his cock and did his absolute best to look up at him. Kuroo glanced down and let out a shaky breath at his watery eyes.

“You’re gonna make me cum,” he whispered.

Akaashi nodded the best he could with as much enthusiasm as one could in such a situation. Kuroo groaned again and arched his back, his toes curling as Akaashi allowed him absolute control. He could feel himself beginning to unravel when his phone rang in his jacket pocket. He let out a growl from deep within himself and tried to shut it out. He felt Akaashi relax his jaw even further and groaned.

 _‘You jealous fuckin’ slut,’_ he thought.

He shut out the sound and focused entirely on the feeling of his cock in Akaashi’s throat. He thought only of the man sitting in obedience on his hands and knees before him. He thought only about shooting his load directly down his throat. Thankfully, the ringing stopped just as Akaashi put a hesitant hand on his thigh.

“Oh, fuck, Keiji,” he purred, tugging on his hair.

Akaashi made a futile attempt to speak and the vibrations mixed with his submission pushed Kuroo over the edge. He groaned loudly as he did exactly as he promised himself he would and came down his throat. His gut twisted and pulled. He felt like it was his first orgasm ever.

“Holy _shit. Aw, fuck. Oh, god, yeah.”_

Akaashi moaned loudly and pulled back, opening his swollen lips and showing his tongue to Kuroo. The manager groaned again and leaned down to spit in his mouth. Akaashi allowed that to slide down his throat before swallowing that as well. Kuroo grabbed him harshly by the hair and pulled him up, kissing him hotly.

Akaashi whined into the kiss and moved closer to him, pressing his erection into his thigh and grinding in.

 _“Holy fuck,”_ Kuroo yelled as his phone rang again.

Akaashi frowned and sat back on his feet with his hands between his thighs as Kuroo tore his phone from his pocket and picked up without reading the caller ID.

 _“What?”_ He seethed.

_“Kuro.”_

“Oh,” Kuroo’s voice lightened significantly and he glanced down at the disappointment in Akaashi’s eyes. “What?”

_“Your client is being a fuckhead and you need to sort it out.”_

“What client?” Kuroo turned a bit to hide himself from the growing disappointment in Akaashi’s face as he moved off his feet in favor of holding his knees to his chest.

_“Chester.”_

“Fucking hell. Code?”

_“Magenta.”_

“The hell is a code magenta?”

_“I had to make a new one.”_

Kuroo ran his hand over his face, “Okay. I’ll be there.”

_“Okay.”_

He sighed and stood, wasting no time in getting his clothes on. He finished buttoning his shirt and was tucking it back into his pants when he turned back.

“I’m sorry, it’s work.”

Kuroo blinked at Akaashi, who already stood by the window with his robe back on. He stood with his hands behind his back, which faced Kuroo.

“Keiji?”

Akaashi nodded slightly and spoke in a hoarse voice, “Goodbye.”

Kuroo furrowed his brow and slowly pulled his jacket back on, “Aren’t you gonna walk me out?”

Akaashi shrugged before shaking his head, “You know the way out.”

Kuroo felt a heavy weight in his stomach, “Okay. Get some sleep.”

“You as well.”

“Okay. I’ll do my best.”

Kuroo paused in the doorway and glanced back at Akaashi who still didn’t look at him.

“I’ll come back when I’m done. If you want.”

Akaashi didn’t respond for a moment, then when he did, his voice was barely audible, “Well, don’t break your back for me.”

Kuroo bit his cheek before turning and walking quickly down the stairs.

Akaashi blinked out the window with heavy eyes. He waited for what he deemed as a safe amount of time before removing his robe again and maneuvering himself out of the outfit that hardly counted as an outfit he wore for Kuroo. He glanced down at his body and gripped his aching stomach before returning the robe to his frame and tied it loosely in the front.

He slowly descended the stairs and stood in the foyer, unsure of what to do with himself. He frowned and moved forward to lock the door, then stared in the direction of the kitchen. He clutched at his stomach again as he thought of the food that was readily available and he couldn’t eat.

_‘You can’t eat that food. You promised Tetsurō you wouldn’t eat between nine and nine.’_

Akaashi took a couple steps forward before nausea ravaged him. He glanced back at the kitchen.

_‘But he also promised he’d stay with you tonight. Apparently promises don’t mean much. Breaking the rules once isn’t bad. You’re hungry. You should nourish your body.’_

Akaashi shifted from foot to foot, staring into the kitchen. He wanted to go, but he felt as though he was being physically restrained from going forward.

_‘One small plate isn’t bad. No one would notice a small plate.’_

He sighed and forced his legs forward. He felt so heavy. He stopped in front of the counter and stared down at the food he’d prepared for Kuroo, that food he refused to eat. He blinked at it a few times before reaching forward and grabbing an entire chicken breast from the pan and biting into it. His cheeks grew hot as he let out an involuntary moan at the savory taste. Every bite he took, he swore would be his last. But the filling feeling in his stomach and the aftertaste of the food kept him going. And going. And going.

He didn’t stop until he felt ill. His hands and face were both covered in food and he stared down at his palms in disgust. He could feel his stomach brushing against the front of his robe. Worse than that, he felt it all pushing back up.

_‘Oh, god. What have I done? Is this who I am?’_

There was no time. There were no options. He quickly grabbed the pan he cooked in and threw up into it to at least save himself from cleaning too big of a mess. He assisted his body by heaving largely.

After what felt like an eternity of his body purging itself of his overindulgence, he groaned loudly and stood back, running his shaky hands over his face. He then snapped his blood shot eyes open in panic.

_“No, no, no, no, no, no, no—“_

Akaashi snatched the pan up and scraped it into the garbage along with anything else that could be incriminating. His panic peaked as he remembered Kuroo said he’d be coming back.

“Shit, no,” Akaashi breathed, settling on just throwing the dishes out in their entirety.

He tightened his robe and removed the bag from the can and attempted slamming the cupboard shut and glared when the modern home prevented a satisfying slapping noise in favor of slowing and clicking shut. He quickly brought the bag outside and was just getting it in the bin when he was blinded by large flashes.

Akaashi groaned loudly and held his hands over his face before quickly moving back to the house, where he struggled with opening the door due to the shaky nature of his hands and mind numbing panic. By the time he got the door open, and there were a solid two hundred unsolicited photos of him in his shame, he was in tears.

_‘I’m such a piece of shit. I hate myself. Fire Tetsurō? He should fire me. I’m so stupid. I never listen. What is wrong with me?’_

Akaashi slammed and locked the door before pressing his forehead into it. He slapped his hand against the surface as he breathed in wracking breaths. His lungs ached at the force and sporadicness of his breathing as his tears fell to the floor.

“I fucking hate this,” he cried to himself.

He gave himself only a few more minutes to fall apart there against the door before forcing himself to move on. He violently scrubbed at his face as he marched up to the bathroom and scrubbed at his teeth forever. Then when he was done, he popped a mint into his mouth. Then, he took a very, very long very, very hot shower. And cried. Oh, how he cried.

He got out and patted his red skin dry with a fluffy towel before grabbing his robe and throwing both in the hamper and moping back to his room. He stared around at his clothes before choosing a different robe rather than anything form fitting. He blinked his swollen eyes and pulled the fluffy material over himself, hugging it closely. Akaashi sighed and returned to the kitchen.

He was nearly finished scrubbing the counter down with bleach when the door opened. He froze entirely, honestly not expecting Kuroo back at all by that point.

Kuroo peeked into the kitchen and startled as he saw Akaashi, “Hey, why are you awake?”

Akaashi turned his back to him and discarded his rag in the sink, “Because.”

“You need to sleep, c’mon,” Kuroo gestured him over.

Akaashi tapped his fingers on the counter and rocked on his feet a couple times before sucking a deep breath in, “What client was it?”

“What?” Kuroo asked. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Was it _him?_ Was it _Kōtarō?”_

Kuroo frowned and crossed his arms. Akaashi looked back and Kuroo’s eyebrows raised at his swollen eyes and patchy face.

“Were you seriously bawling because you thought I had to go deal with Kōtarō? A _client?_ Come _on,_ Keiji.”

Akaashi didn’t respond. He just blinked excruciatingly slowly and adjusted his gaze to the counter. Kuroo sighed loudly and shuffled in, wrapping his arms around him. He reached a hand up and petted his hair.

“You’re too jealous.”

“And you said to drop you if you neglect me.”

“Am I neglecting you? Because I had to work. Work comes first. You know that.”

Akaashi blinked rapidly.

_‘So, this isn’t work? You’re here because you want to be? This is… Real?’_

Akaashi took the hand that got dangerously close to his still bloated abdomen and brought it to his lips, kissing softly. Kuroo chuckled in his ear.

“So, you forgive me, then?”

Akaashi nodded stiffly and turned in his arms, wrapping them around his neck. Kuroo laughed again and picked him up to carry him upstairs. Akaashi tucked his face away in his neck and placed slow kisses to his skin.

“You smell good,” Kuroo murmured as he descended the steps to Akaashi’s bed.

He gently placed Akaashi down before stripping entirely and walking to shut the light off and close the door. When he returned, he held himself up with one hand on either side of the actor. He tugged lightly on the belt of his robe.

“Do you want this off?”

Akaashi closed his eyes and shook his head. Kuroo frowned and cocked his head.

“You love being naked, though. Did you masturbate or somethin’?”

Akaashi bit his cheek and nodded. Kuroo laughed and laid beside him, nudging him closer to his chest as he maneuvered the blanket up with his feet. Akaashi nuzzled his face into Kuroo’s chest, feeling the heavy draw of sleep nearly immediately. His heat and strong heartbeat and his scent all lured him into slumber. Kuroo petted his hair and pressed kisses to the top of his head as he spiralled away into unconsciousness.

Akaashi waited in his home for Kuroo to come for their meeting. His phone rang and he immediately pulled it out and was confused to see an unknown number. He wasn’t sure why, but he answered. He just felt as though he had to. He immediately held the phone away from his ear as the sounds of loud sex assaulted him.

 _“—Oh,_ fuck, _yes.”_

Akaashi bit his lip and furrowed his brow as he attempted to hang up the call, but it wouldn’t work. No matter what he tried, his phone wouldn’t respond. His ears pricked and his blood ran cold when he heard something he couldn’t cope with.

_“Tetsurō, fuck yeah. Oh, yeah. Just like that. Oh, fuck me right there.”_

Akaashi’s burning pulse quickened as horror set over him. The moans impacted him like physical blows.

_“Hurry— Ah, shit. Hurry and cum. I have to go— Oh, god, yes. See Keiji. Ugh, you feel so good, Kōtarō.”_

Tears pricked Akaashi’s eyes as he was rooted to his spot, just staring at his phone as they moaned loudly together. Kuroo’s moans were _different_ with him. Deeper. Louder. Betrayal ran rampant through his veins.

_“Fuckin’ fire him. What’s— Ah, SHIT. He doing, ohhhhh— What’s he doing that I’m not?”_

Kuroo’s moans quickened and Bokuto’s grew louder, morphing into his manager’s names. He chanted it like a prayer. _Tetsurō. Tetsurō. Tetsurō. Tetsurō. Tetsurō._

Akaashi’s body kicked into motion as a yell left his lips and he attempted throwing his phone on the floor in the hopes of breaking it. Sobs wracked harshly at him as his violent motion did nothing at all. Their pleasured calls and declarations of bliss rang out loudly. If anything, even louder than before as they seemed to be reaching completion. 

“STOP,” Akaashi screamed as his sadness overcame him. “Please, god, fucking stop.”

_“Ah, fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I’m gonna cum, Kōtarō. Ya ready for it?”_

_“Ever since I fuckin’ saw ya,” Bokuto groaned. “Fuck. Yeah, touch me. Yeah. Oh, that’s so fucking GOOD.”_

Akaashi couldn’t form a thought complete enough to perform an action. All he was capable of was tearing on his hair and yelling loudly. His despair tore through him. It was hopeless. He couldn’t live like th—“

_“KEIJI.”_

Akaashi startled awake to a stinging sensation on his cheek. He bolted up and cradled his cheek, then stared over at Kuroo with shaky vision and a pounding heart. Kuroo stared at him with wide eyes and reached out to place his own hand over his burning skin.

“I’m so sorry, you weren’t waking up. I had to do something.”

“Oh,” Akaashi breathed, clutching his chest. “A dream.”

His terror left his body slowly as his brain struggled to catch up with reality. Kuroo grabbed his face and kissed him all over. Akaashi slowly met his lips when they reached his and gratefully met his tongue. Kuroo sucked his tongue into his mouth for a moment before pulling away and pressing their foreheads together.

“What was your nightmare about? It sounded bad.”

Akaashi stared into his dark eyes, feeling an intense amount of safety there and shook his head, “It’s not so bad.”

“You were screaming, though.”

Akaashi nodded and pushed him back by his shoulders before crawling onto his lap, “Let’s make me scream for a good reason then. That is, if you’re up for it, old man.”

Kuroo laughed loudly and watched Akaashi flip around, “I’m not that old.”

“Eleven years older than I am. In my book that constitutes as _old,”_ Akaashi teased as he leaned forward and grabbed the lube.

Kuroo hummed with intrigue as Akaashi spread the lube out on his own fingers and discarded the bottle back to the mattress, using his clean hand to pull his robe up as he leaned forward over Kuroo’s erection. The manager sighed and stared on in delight as Akaashi immediately pushed three fingers inside of himself. He ran his hands up Akaashi’s ass, then hips then to the front of his abdomen. He attempted to not falter around his bloated stomach, but perhaps his movement was too swift because Akaashi tensed up regardless.

“Look at you, so beautiful,” Kuroo cooed.

Akaashi glanced back and caught his eye before continuing to finger himself over Kuroo. He let out a low moan as his fingers began fucking himself. Kuroo raised his eyebrows and his dick twitched as Akaashi began moaning rapidly and rocking back onto his own hand, rolling his eyes back and biting his lip.

“At least suck my cock if you’re just gonna finish yourself like this,” Kuroo teased, lifting his hips and smacking Akaashi gently in the chin with his hard cock.

Akaashi moaned again and leaned his head down to suck on the tip of Kuroo’s dick while his free hand searched again for the lube. Kuroo’s hand went back to Akaashi’s ass cheek, giving him a few small smacks. He abandoned Kuroo’s cock in favor of keeping his fingers in his ass so he could bounce back onto them and put the bottle of lube into his mouth after snapping it open. He struggled to use his teeth to push a good amount into his free hand as he moaned noisily. Kuroo moaned as Akaashi slapped the cold lube onto his cock hastily before moving down. Kuroo moaned louder as his cock bypassed Akaashi’s fingers on his way in.

The actor wasted no time in bouncing on his cock. He pulled fully up to his tip and slapped back down each time. Kuroo groaned loudly as Akaashi’s toes were already curling. He reached forward and tore the robe off of his client’s frame to view the way he greedily took his cock. Kuroo reached down and spread Akaashi’s cheeks out to get a better view before sliding his eyes shut and groaning.

Akaashi reached a hand back behind him on Kuroo’s abdomen as he rode him. He moaned as loudly as his voice could allow. Moaning hurt, but it felt so good. He absolutely savored the way Kuroo held his hip, allowing him full control of the pace. Akaashi slowed to a teasing pace, sliding slowly to his tip then back down just about to halfway. He leaned forward onto his hands between Kuroo’s legs to give him the view he knew he’d want. He was vindicated as Kuroo moaned as loudly as he did and reached back down to spread his cheeks again. Akaashi didn’t quicken his pace, but he did begin sliding all the way back down until his ass hit Kuroo’s body.

“Okay, let’s go. Im fuckin’ close,” Kuroo moaned.

Akaashi glanced back and leaned back, arching his back as he merely sat on his cock, grinding his hips down. Kuroo groaned loudly and took it for a moment before shoving Akaashi forward and onto his hand and knees. Kuroo shoved back in harshly and Akaashi’s eyes immediately rolled back into his head as a guttural moan tore through him.

“Oh, _FUCK,”_ Akaashi yelled as Kuroo slammed into him just right every time.

Kuroo grunted and reached forward, taking Akaashi by the throat before pulling him back against his chest. Akaashi moaned loudly against the grip he kept against his throat and arched his back as every nerve in his body was flooded with pleasure. Kuroo pressed his face against Akaashi’s and the actor turned more towards him, sticking his tongue out. Kuroo groaned again and collected as much spit as he could before hacking it into Akaashi’s mouth, nearly exploding at the way his loud moans vibrated again his hand, mingling with his fast pulse.

“Fuck,” Kuroo nearly shouted as he grabbed Akaashi’s cock, stroking him firmly.

Akaashi gasped and groaned, nearly falling forwards as Kuroo pulled his cock in a death grip. Kuroo growled and held him firmly up by his throat as he hammered into him.

“Ah, ya fuckin’ slut. So fuckin’ beautiful, holy shit.”

Akaashi moaned relentlessly, digging his nails into Kuroo’s forearm as he allowed himself to be fucked senseless. Kuroo leaned forward and stared at the way his eyes wouldn’t stay open and how red his face was. He moaned and pressed open mouthed kisses to the corner of Akaashi’s mouth. The actor attempted to return the gesture, but was more preoccupied with shouting his pleasure.

Kuroo groaned and dug his grip in further on Akaashi’s cock, squeezing it harshly as he jerked him off. The actor was nearly entirely limp against him, with every thrust shoving him forward violently.

 _“Cum,”_ Kuroo demanded.

Akaashi attempted looking at him, only capable of a strangulated groan. Kuroo gripped his throat harder and pressed his fist around the base of Akaashi’s cock as he focused solely on pounding into him with everything he had. He relished in the way Akaashi’s grip on him only loosened as his moans got quieter.

“Cum and I’ll stop.”

Akaashi didn’t respond, unable to. Kuroo let go of him all at once and he fell forward onto his face, using his hands only a touch to soften the impact. Kuroo never stopped snapping his hips forward.

“Touch yourself.”

Akaashi heaved breaths in before weakly doing as he was asked, reaching between himself and the mattress and jerking himself off. Kuroo watched him only for a moment before groaning and swatting his hand away in favor of his own. He leaned down over Akaashi’s back as he fucked him and pulled his cock back to stroke it down rather than up. Akaashi moaned loudly and rolled his hips back before tensing up.

 _“Yes,”_ he cried.

Kuroo smirked and kept himself steady exactly where Akaashi told him to.

_‘Let the record show I am selfless.’_

It took exactly four hard thrusts for Akaashi to cum loudly onto the blankets. Kuroo’s jaw dropped and his eyes rolled back as Akaashi’s legs shook and threatened to give out as he clamped and unclamped rapidly around him. Kuroo growled into his ear, continuing to stroke his cock rapidly just to hear his anguished shouts. It didn’t take him much longer, either. He pulled out and threw Akaashi down to the side before rapidly crawling over him, cock in hand, to cum onto his face. Akaashi gazed at him through hooded, bloodshot eyes and opened his mouth to collect as much on his tongue as possible. Kuroo moaned loudly and continued stroking to ride the wave out as he watched Akaashi swallow his cum. Once they sat only in the silence of their heavy breathing, he pressed the tip of his softening cock against Akaashi’s lip and the actor took it into his mouth, sucking gently and swirling his tongue around it.

Kuroo sighed quietly and pulled out before sitting back against Akaashi’s chest, but keeping most of his weight on the leg supporting him from the mattress. Kuroo leaned forward and swiped up the cum that missed Akaashi’s mouth with his finger before pushing it back to where it belonged. Akaashi moaned quietly as he sucked on Kuroo’s fingers, maintaining eye contact with him. Kuroo removed his hand and used it to caress his cheek before moving down to his chest, tugging lightly on his piercing. Akaashi offered another small moan, eyes shutting.

“Sleep?” Kuroo chuckled.

“Yes, please.”

“Okay,” Kuroo laughed and laid beside him, gathering him up into his arms.

Akaashi tucked up into his chest and placed one leg between Kuroo’s. Kuroo kissed the top of his head a whole bunch while rubbing his back.

“Hey, a kiss,” Kuroo said.

Akaashi smiled sleepily and moved his face up, hands automatically finding Kuroo’s hair as he went into it with his tongue out. Kuroo smiled and wrapped his tongue up in his client’s before slowly pushing Akaashi’s back into his mouth and pressing one firm, closed mouthed kiss to his lips, then a chaste peck.

They kept their faces together, breaths lingered together. Akaashi’s hands slowly fell from his hair and to a relaxed state.

“I love you, Tetsurō,” Akaashi breathed.

Kuroo frowned slightly before pressing another small kiss to his lips, a gesture which was returned before Akaashi buried his face away in his neck again. Kuroo ran his hands over the boy’s back, his eyes on the closed bedroom door. 

Suddenly, sleep was far from him.


	3. I Refuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is more plot driven than porn driven but i hope you enjoy regardless!!

_ “You said he wouldn’t get it,”  _ Akaashi snapped.

Kuroo sighed and held the phone away from his ear before returning it again, “No. What  _ I _ recall saying is there’s a chance he may actually get it and you should act accordingly—“

_ “Tetsurō. I refuse. I will  _ not  _ simulate sex with that mongrel.” _

“You are contractually obligated,” Kuroo sighed again.

_ “No.” _

“Keiji,  _ yes.  _ And you have to get along with him. You need to be able to act as though you’re in  _ love  _ with him. You wanted to shed your old reputation, this is how you do it. Now, if you don’t do it, you have a lawsuit waiting for you. Understand me?”

_ “I. Refuse. To. Work. With. Him.” _

_ “You. Can’t. Refuse,”  _ Kuroo strained, pinching the bridge of his nose.

_ “Fix this. That’s your job.” _

“No. My job is to make sure  _ you  _ do  _ your _ job, which I am doing. You have to do this. You signed the contract with your own hand. I didn’t make you do that.”

_ “YOU ADVISED ME TO!” _

“Yes, with the advice of considering who was  _ auditioning for the lead, Keiji.” _

Kuroo’s eyebrows shot up in shock as he was only met by dial tone. He sighed and held the phone away from himself for a moment.

“Jesus. That was bratty even for the brat,” he anguished.

He gave himself exactly thirty seconds to collect himself before moving onto the next diva and calling Bokuto. He rolled his eyes as the call rang.

_ “Hey, manager! Get any good managing done toda—“ _

“Shhhhh,” Kuroo said. “Annoying. Shooting begins soon. You understand Keiji is your co-star, correct?”

_ “Yes. I’m gonna give that little sh— I mean. Yes. I do.” _

Kuroo narrowed his eyes, “And you understand you need to get along. AND you need to be on your utmost behavior or I, along with Kenma, will be absolutely sure you never find work again. We can do that. Between the two of us, there’s no connection to any director that is unmade. Considering that absolute dumpster fire of a death they gave you on  _ Henderson,  _ you have no safety net and everything to lose. I’d consider listening to me.”

_ “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, I already told ya I’m practically your slave. If ya can get me all the things you say you can—“ _

“Haven’t we?” Kuroo asked flatly.

_ “Yes! That’s what I’m saying! I’m listening to ya! But listen. Keiji was a lil’ bitch last time we spoke. I dunno how much of that I can tolerate—“ _

“You’ll tolerate as much of it as you damn have to.”

_ “Yeah, but it’s a six month shoot. He’s your client, too, so—“ _

“Don’t tell me how to do my job. Last I checked, and I hate to sound so juvenile, but it’s true. But last I checked, there’s a one hundred percent chance you  _ started  _ that beef with him. Keiji is a good kid. Directors love him. The public loves him. No drink. No drugs. No scandals. He practically never leaves home. He’s a  _ good  _ client. So, since  _ you  _ started this,  _ you  _ make good with him.”

_ “Fine.” _

Kuroo startled back, “Actually?”

_ “Actually. I told ya I’m listening, don’t sound so surprised. I’ll put up with Baby Britney if that’s what’ll make ya happy.” _

“Oh,” Kuroo nodded. “Good, okay. Don’t call him that, though. To his face. Or to other people. Goodbye. I’ll see you on set in a couple of weeks. Be good and I won’t have to talk to you until then.”

_ “You’re gonna be on set?” _

“Obviously,” Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Is that a problem?”

_ “No, no. I just never had an agent on set before.” _

“I’m a manager, idiot. I need to be there to put out the fires I’m  _ sure  _ you’ll start.”

_ “No fires. All good. See you then.” _

“Uh huh,” Kuroo hung up and stared at his screen.

He was just about to get up and make some lunch when his phone rang again. He considered throwing it at the wall, but decided he was, in fact, strong enough to at least look at who was calling him. He rolled his eyes and picked up.

“Yes, Keiji?”

_ “I can’t do it.” _

“You have to.”

_ “I’ve never even had an on camera kiss before. How am I supposed to pretend like I’m getting fucked? Especially by Kōtarō?” _

_ ‘Ah, a different type of meltdown this time. At least we’re keeping it exciting,’  _ Kuroo thought as he stood and walked to his fridge.

“Just pretend he’s me. That’ll probably do it,” he deadpanned.

_ “I’m serious, Tetsurō. What if I forget my lines? What if I get hard? Oh, God.”  _ Akaashi lowered his voice to a whisper despite likely being alone in his house.  _ “What if I cum?” _

“Then ya do, I guess,” Kuroo said, tucking his phone between his shoulder and ear as he opened a small tub of ice cream and searched for a spoon.

_ “That isn’t an option.” _

“Okay, masturbate directly before the scene, then.”

_ “On set?”  _ Akaashi squeaked.  _ “You really are a pervert. God, you’re probably going to enjoy this.” _

“Oh, thoroughly. I’m a man of exquisite taste,” Kuroo rolled his eyes.

_ “I bet even Konoha would have better advice than you on this.” _

“Call Konoha, then.”

Akaashi shifted on the other end of the call and Kuroo continued with his ice cream.

_ “I don’t talk to them. You know that.” _

“And you know I said that you should. It’s hard for you to get a grown up reputation when you don’t go do grown up things. Get caught grinding on someone at the club. Go on a fuckin’  _ date.  _ I can’t believe I have to tell a client to get in a scandal, but damn.”

_ “…I do grown up things.” _

“Uh huh, like what?”

_ “You know what. I don’t see what’s so juvenile about the way I take your cock.” _

Kuroo licked his spoon clean before putting the ice cream back, “Fair, but no one knows about that so it doesn’t count.”

_ “Fine. So what? I spend my Saturday nights home alone. A bath. Some YouTube. Maybe a book. What’s more grown up than that?” _

“Sad. That’s a sad sentence.”

Akaashi groaned,  _ “You act like you live this exciting life. You don’t have anyone either. When’s the last time you went on a candle lit dinner? Maybe think of that next time you—“ _

“Wait,” Kuroo’s eyes lit up. “Oh, my god. You’re so right.”

_ “What? Wait, no. Don’t— I’m sorry. Please, don’t do that.” _

“Shut up, not that.”

_ “Oh.” _

“Sorry, I just realized something. Talk to you later. Bye.”

_ “Oka—“ _

Kuroo quickly hung up and dialled Kenma’s personal number. He didn’t have time for receptionists. His business partner answered on the fourth ring.

_ “What?” _

“Keiji. Kōtarō.”

_ “What about them?”  _ Kenma asked flatly.

“THEM. Together. PR.”

_ “Oh,”  _ Kenma said, then added,  _ “OH.” _

“Right?” Kuroo said smugly. “Yay or nay?”

_ “Personally a yay, but I’ll have to check with Fischer.” _

“Yeah, of course. God, that’ll get them on the map. L&S, too. And we rep  _ both  _ of them? Wow. Perfect storm.

_ “Uh huh,”  _ Kenma drawled.  _ “I’ll let you know what he says.” _

“They’ll hate it—“

_ “Ish-you, manager. Bye.” _

Kuroo frowned at his phone as he was once again hung up on.

“Ya win some, ya lose some, I guess.”

Akaashi stared around at the people preening his body. One woman touched up his face with powder while another focused on pinning his costume in place. He grimaced as someone yanked gel through his hair. He attempted to turn his head and shoot Kuroo a suffering look, but his manager simply laughed before his attention was pulled off elsewhere.

He pursed his lips as the people slowly left him, then glanced at the set before him. He glanced at his hands and wondered just how he was supposed to  _ bartend  _ or rather, “bartend” when he’d never even touched alcohol. There were table reads, but never rehearsals. All takes had to be done  _ immediately  _ and  _ on camera  _ and Akaashi was ready to  _ shit himself.  _ He’d made such a fuss. He couldn’t fuck up in front of Bokuto  _ now. _

_ ‘How am I supposed to pretend to bartend when I’ve never touched alcohol and Tetsurō is watching me loathe my life as I fake flirt with Kōtarō? It’s more than impossible. It’s hopeless. I may as well just take the lawsuit.’ _

“Okay!” A producer shouted. “Five minutes to call. Get any last minute things out of the way!”

Akaashi sucked in a deep breath and shook his hands out much to the displeasure of his costume designer. She quickly finished her work and stood, walking away without another word. Akaashi leaned over to catch a glimpse of Kuroo, and frowned deeply when he noticed him talking to Bokuto. Kuroo gestured broadly as though explaining something and Bokuto listened intently. Akaashi resisted the urge to go interrupt, remembering the lengthy lecture he got earlier in the day. He simply crossed his arms and watched the milling people, trying to remember the tips Kuroo gave him on the bar scenes.

“Alright, places, people! Scene eight, let’s go!”

Akaashi began walking forward before being rushed by a producer to behind the bar. He sucked in a deep breath and shut his eyes before slowly exhaling.

_ ‘I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.’ _

Akaashi watched the extras move around and nearly choked as action was called. He immediately levelled his face and busied himself wiping down the prop bar and interacting with the extras as Bokuto performed his way through his separate part of the scene, moving through the set. Akaashi focused on appearing naturally charismatic and mysterious.

“Hey, barkeep, two whiskeys,” a man called.

Akaashi made a show of looking over at them, then pretended to notice Bokuto for the first time ever. He attempted to push intrigue into his eyes before nodding once. He reached under the bar and placed two glasses before Bokuto and the other man as they continued their conversation.

“Martha’s really been on your case,” the man said.

“Yeah, well Martha is  _ concerned.  _ Aren’t you? I know I am.”

Akaashi poured the ‘whiskey’ into the glasses, only a certain amount, definitely far less than he would’ve gone to pour had he not been advised otherwise.

“The way McCartney has been—“ Bokuto glanced at Akaashi before lowering his voice, picking up his drink and turning away, “Has been  _ interfering,  _ with the you-know-what is a real issue.”

Akaashi turned back and leaned on the counter as the script described. He pretended to have a  _ fascinating  _ conversation with an extra who just happened to have his wallet on the counter.

The man seemed to consider what he was saying, “Sure, but that doesn’t mean she’s gotta get all up  _ your  _ ass about it.”

_ ‘That’s the cue,’  _ Akaashi thought.

He smiled warmly at the extra and used a breezy voice, “Truly incredible in the autumn, don’t you think?”

The extra leaned forward and Akaashi inched his hand towards the wallet as he spoke, “Oh, c’mon. A specimen like  _ you  _ doesn’t work in a place like this to talk about the  _ leaves.” _

“Oh,” Akaashi chuckled and batted his eyelashes slightly. “Then, why do I work here?”

Akaashi pretended to pause in slight panic as the extra spoke, “To rob sorry men of their money in tips.”

Akaashi stared at him for a moment before the extra laughed.

“Tipping,” the extra laughed heartily. “Nah, they should just  _ pay  _ ya enough.”

Akaashi easily smiled back and discreetly slid the wallet towards himself before dropping it to the floor behind the counter and shrugged.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Barkeep!” Bokuto called, shaking his glass up and Akaashi made a show of snapping his head back, then smiling at the extra.

“Please, take extra care. Pick pockets are rampant in New York.”

It was just Akaashi and Bokuto on set. They were in their last hour of the first day of shooting. Bokuto sat slumped at the bar over a glass of prop whiskey while Akaashi busied himself with polishing glasses, facing away from him.

“Noah,” Bokuto croaked.

Akaashi looked at him in the mirror of the bar at the exact angle he was instructed to before meeting Bokuto’s eye there and humming his acknowledgment.

He could feel his heart thumping at the tense knowledge of what was to come. He did all he could to keep his focus he’d built throughout the day. After a lifetime of sitcoms, he wasn’t particularly prepared for the seriousness of the movie.

“What am I doing here?” Bokuto sighed before shooting back his tinted water.

Akaashi froze with his hands on the glass and bartowel, “What do you  _ think _ you’re doin’ here?”

Bokuto shifted in his seat, “I don’t think I have a reason.”

Akaashi threw his head back and laughed brightly, “Surely there’s a reason! C’mon! Perhaps the  _ ambiance?” _

Bokuto looked around at the musty set, “Perhaps.”

Akaashi turned and placed the glass down and slung the bartowel over his shoulder before leaning directly in front of Bokuto. He smiled largely and gestured to the empty set with his head.

He spoke in a quiet voice, “Perhaps the nightlife?”

Akaashi’s heart hammered harder as the cameras got closer to them and Bokuto stared down.

“Could be.”

Akaashi’s lungs threatened to collapse as Bokuto looked up only with his eyes. He pushed through and leaned ever closer, adjusting Bokuto’s collar with one hand while actively not meeting his eye.

“Perhaps… A form of escapism.”

Bokuto hummed and made a point of shifting his eyes to Akaashi’s lips before returning to his eyes as they leaned even closer. Too close.

“Or maybe…” Akaashi whispered half an inch from his lips, “This is just where you’re understood.”

“You don’t understand me,” Bokuto breathed over his mouth.

Panic tore through Akaashi as he felt Bokuto’s lips graze his own and his mind flashed  _ ‘Tetsurō’. _

_ ‘It doesn’t mean anything. Its for a shoot. Say your damn lines.’ _

“Please,” Akaashi chuckled. “I’m a bartender.”

“Yeah,” Bokuto said, lifting his hand and pressing his knuckles under Akaashi’s chin as they stared into each other’s eyes from an inch apart. “Which means you don’t know  _ shit.” _

“You’ve been drunk here three times a week at  _ least  _ for months. I understand you better than you understand yourself. I know all of your secrets. Bartenders are just underpaid therapists.”

Bokuto stared into his eyes, “You really think ya understand me?”

Akaashi nodded slightly and pressed his face into Bokuto’s palm as it shifted to his cheek, “Yeah. I really do.”

Bokuto hummed again as he simply stared at Akaashi. The younger man stared into his bright eyes, fully realizing for the first time that he really was in that position. He idolized that man for years. He was about to kiss him. His first on screen kiss. To Kōtarō Bokuto. In front of Kuroo.

_ ‘Holy shit, I’m going to be sick. But… If I just get it right this time, I hopefully won’t have to do it again.’ _

Akaashi allowed himself to be pulled into a kiss. He met Bokuto’s soft lips with a slow intensity he felt characterized his role. Bokuto’s nose bumped against his and his hot breath wrapped over Akaashi’s cheeks. He tasted of mint and vaguely of coffee. Akaashi sighed as Bokuto’s hand ran over his neck before pulling away. Akaashi’s eyes fluttered open and he stared at Bokuto. Their eyes met again and Akaashi’s mind went  _ blank.  _ Entirely. It was as though he’d been placed there without ever even  _ hearing  _ about the concept of a script before in his life.

_ “Cut!” _

Akaashi blushed harshly and turned away from Bokuto, who just slumped onto the bar. Various people chuckled and the director yelled, “Your line was ‘Can you really say I don’t understand now?’! Take five. Get yourself together.”

Akaashi nodded and swallowed dryly, not wanting to look at anyone. The knowledge that Kuroo just  _ saw that  _ physically hurt him.

“Hey,” Bokuto whispered.

Akaashi glared over his shoulder and whispered back, “What?”

“It’s fine. Let’s just get this done and go home, okay?”

Akaashi furrowed his brow, “What?”

Bokuto leaned his chin on his arms against the bar, “Don’t be nervous. It—“

“I’m not nervous.”

Bokuto raised his eyebrows in uninterested disbelief. Akaashi glared at him, but he didn’t let up. He then sighed and crossed his arms, staring away from him.

“I may be nervous.”

“Why, though? It’s just a kiss.”

“I don’t need to explain.”

“Alrighty then,” Bokuto sat up. “Can ya just try to keep it together? Sir Lord Boss has me on a diet and I’m hangry. Not to mention Fuhrer Tetsurō also won’t let me have a drink. This fake booze is pissing me off.”

Akaashi blinked a couple times before glaring again, “Don’t speak about him that way. You’re  _ lucky  _ he works for you. He wouldn’t tell you to do something if it wasn’t for your best interest.”

“It’s called a  _ joke,  _ sweetheart. Loosen up. Plus, if ya loosen up maybe you could just kiss me and  _ not  _ lose your damn mind. I mean, I get it’s probably a lot to kiss a  _ real  _ celebrity, but c’mon.”

Akaashi leaned forward and glared harder, “How many people did you have to sleep with to get your ass on that stool?”

Bokuto glared back and snapped,  _ “You’re  _ the one fucking up all the scenes. Ask again about who deserves to be here.”

Akaashi was about to yell when Kuroo cleared his throat from directly beside him. They both startled up and Kuroo gestured with his head to the side. Akaashi pursed his lips and reluctantly walked away from Bokuto to a relatively secluded area.

“You need to get it together,” Kuroo said with crossed arms.

“I’m sorry. I was just nervous—“

“No. Not the scene. More the scene you were about to cause by fighting with Kōtarō on set.”

“Oh,” Akaashi frowned and crossed his own arms. “He’s being an ass. I  _ told  _ you working with him would be impossible.”

Kuroo leaned down and caught his eye, “When you said you wanted to change your reputation, I thought you meant it in the way where people treat you as an adult. Apparently you  _ actually  _ meant you want them to treat you like a child since you want to behave like one.”

Akaashi’s mouth fell slightly open in shock, “Wow. It hasn’t escaped my attention that you aren’t lecturing  _ him,  _ right now. I see where I stand.”

Kuroo sighed and put a hand on his shoulder before pointing at Bokuto, who smiled smugly up until that point from just out of ear shot, “He is  _ known  _ to be a nightmare.  _ You  _ are known for being a  _ daydream.  _ Why do you want to change that because of someone you don’t even like?”

Akaashi tensed his shoulders in an attempt to feel his touch more fully and whispered, “A daydream?”

“Yes. Directors love working with you because you never put up a fuss. Please, don’t start now. Change your reputation with good work, not by black listing yourself from good work in the future. You have too much talent to just fail because you’re angry right now.”

Akaashi searched his eyes for deception, but found none. He was about to nod when Kuroo spoke so lowly he almost wasn’t sure if he spoke at all.

“I want to do something tonight. As a congratulations.”

“What?” Akaashi whispered back.

“Anything you want. Within reason.”

“Oh,” Akaashi attempted not to smile too largely. “Really?”

“Yes,” Kuroo squeezed his shoulder and released him. “If you cause a scene with Kōtarō that  _ isn’t  _ you kissing him, though, it’s not happening.  _ Behave.  _ Don’t let him get to you. Think you can do that?”

Akaashi searched his face before nodding, “Yes.”

“Good,” Kuroo smacked him on the back before pushing him back in Bokuto’s direction. “Go make some magic! I hope I don’t speak to you again until after we’re done shooting.”

Akaashi smiled over his shoulder before settling back in behind the bar. He stared down at Bokuto, who stared back with dead eyes. He bit his cheek and kept an evening of whatever he wanted to do— within reason— with Kuroo in his mind.

“It gets better.”

“What?” Bokuto grumbled.

“The hunger. It doesn’t always hurt so bad.”

Bokuto frowned and sat back, looking him up and down, “You, too?”

Akaashi nodded once, “My calories have been counted since I was six years old. Ready to do this?”

Bokuto’s frown hardly twitched up at one side, “Ready to get home. Think ya can handle this?”

Akaashi bit his cheek but it wasn’t enough to stifle an insult, “Without throwing up? I doubt it but I’ll do my best.”

Bokuto stared at him before laughing, “God bless, then.”

“Alrighty,” Kuroo said, one hand in his pocket as they sat in the backseat of a car with the divider safely up. “What are we doing, then?”

Akaashi smiled and hummed at he stared out the window, “I have a few ideas.”

“Nothing public,” Kuroo said, placing his hand on Akaashi’s thigh.

Akaashi bit his lip in an effort to hopefully not seem too overly enthusiastic, but surely he was failing, “Obviously!”

“Okay, good. Then, what?”

Akaashi leaned into him, “I wanna go to your house. I’ve never seen your house. I don’t even know where you live.”

Kuroo pursed his lips, “I like keeping my address private.”

“But it’s me,” Akaashi frowned, leaning forward.

Kuroo reluctantly met his eye and shifted in his seat,  _ “Fine.” _

“Wait, really?” Akaashi beamed.

“Yeah, whatever. What else?”

Akaashi pursed his lips, genuinely shocked to have made it that far, “An ice cream float made with vanilla and cream soda.”

Kuroo check his watch and sighed, “Okay.”

_ “Really?”  _ Akaashi jumped, then whispered. “Which one of us is dying— Or are you dropping me? What’s going  _ on—“ _

“I just wanna celebrate your first day as a  _ real  _ adult actor. Movie actor. Movie  _ star.” _

Akaashi beamed, “Movie  _ idol.” _

“Goddamn right,” Kuroo slapped his inner thigh before lowering the divider to correct the address with the driver.

Akaashi made a mental note of his address in case of future emergencies and began wondering what his home would look like. Surely, the epitome of prestige and class, being a very successful man nearly in his thirties. Once the divider was back up he held his hand out to Kuroo, doing his absolute best to keep his shake invisible. Kuroo looked at it only for a second before slapping his own into it, clasping it, then shaking it. Akaashi smiled as Kuroo pulled his hand to his mouth and kissed it before resting their hands on his thigh.

“So, we may as well have dinner then,” Kuroo said.

“Yeah? Why?”

“The director wants you to gain some weight.”

Akaashi froze, then slowly shifted, “...Why?”

Kuroo waved his free hand dismissively while he watched the window, “Only five or ten pounds, nothing  _ crazy.  _ He just wants a more “relatable, human” kinda appeal to your character.”

Akaashi bit his lip, “Oh, I see. Alright, then.”

“So, what would you like? Anything you want at all.”

Akaashi pursed his lips and thought about all the food he was never really allowed to touch, “Pizza?”

Kuroo furrowed his brow and looked over, “You can choose  _ anything  _ and you choose  _ pizza?” _

Akaashi nodded and laughed, “It’s the thing I crave the most often. Also,  _ Cinnabon.” _

“Pizza and  _ Cinnabon  _ it is, then. And your ice cream float.”

Akaashi attempted to smile, but opted to stare out the window instead. The idea of eating so much,  _ especially  _ in front of someone—  _ especially  _ in front of  _ Kuroo—  _ made him feel… Embarrassed, really.

“Are you sleeping at my house, too, then?”

“Huh?” Akaashi looked over, “I mean, it’s almost eleven.”

“Sure thing,” Kuroo said.

Akaashi moved closer to Kuroo, having the habit of not wearing a seatbelt, and rested his head against his shoulder. Kuroo shook his hand free in favor of wrapping his arm around Akaashi’s shoulders and placed a kiss to the top of his head.

“I’m proud of you.”

Akaashi stared down at where his hand lay limply on Kuroo’s thigh and felt tears attempt to push forward. He did his best to blink them away.

_ ‘No one ever says that. Something must be wrong, but even still… I’m so happy.’ _

Neither spoke again until they reached their destination and Kuroo detached himself from Akaashi and held the door for him. The actor slid out of his door as well and stared at the apartment building in front of him as the car door shut behind him. He furrowed his brow and looked at Kuroo.

“You live here?”

“Uh huh, let’s go.”

Akaashi pushed through his shock and slowly followed him up the stairs, cringing each time his shoes’ clicking echoed loudly all the way up the stairwell. Kuroo held the door open when they reached his floor and Akaashi watched curiously as he unlocked the door to the place that’d been a mystery to him for far too long.

They walked in and Akaashi stood in the doorway, blindly attempting to take his shoes off as he looked around and Kuroo moved inwards to turn some lights on. The space was dim. The visible walls were covered in posters from his clients’ various projects through the years. Akaashi finally managed to get his shoes off and took Kuroo’s outstretched hand.

“Let’s give ya the  _ all inclusive tour,  _ then,” Kuroo snickered.

“Sure,” Akaashi smiled.

Kuroo stopped after two feet and gestured to the room, “So, this is the living room/dining room/office area. Please hold your shock, I know it’s more impressive than what you’re used to.”

Akaashi looked around, viewing the couch, coffee table, television and then the dinner table on the other side of the couch. He nodded and Kuroo brought him over to by the table and pointed into an even smaller space.

“Kitchen. I oftentimes have chefs, but gave them the night off for the  _ intimacy.” _

Akaashi pursed his lips and wondered about how he even got anything done in there. There were only two small spaces of counter that he could possibly use to prep things or place things, even in their immaculately clean state.

“Quaint.”

Kuroo laughed loudly and turned them around, moving his hand from Akaashi’s to rest on his waist. They moved forward to a small hall. Kuroo pointed at a door before opening it and showing cleaning supplies and various linens.

“Linen closet. All silk, unless it's  _ cashmere. _ ”

Akaashi hummed and glanced at the other door in the hall, which Kuroo leaned around him to push open, “Bathroom.”

Akaashi pursed his lips at the shower and sink before turning back around, “So, I see.”

“Right,” Kuroo bent and lifted him by his thighs. Akaashi wrapped his limbs around him and rested his chin on his shoulder, “So then the bedroom is over here.”

Akaashi turned his head into Kuroo’s neck as he walked, breathing in his scent and heat. He adored his hands on his thighs. Kuroo pushed the bedroom door more fully open with his foot and turned so Akaashi could view it. Akaashi drank in the ultimate personal space. His bed was made and had a brass framing. He also had a dresser and a rack full of clothing as there was no closet within. That room was also covered in framed posters, and he couldn’t notice  _ All About Thomas  _ got the space above the head of the bed. He smiled to himself as he saw himself standing with Konoha and their female costar, Hitoka Yachi. He slowly squeezed Kuroo’s shoulders in an attempt to let out some of the affection that threatened to kill him. Kuroo let him slide back down to the floor and Akaashi blinked up at him.

“I’m going to go order your food, okay? Make yourself at home, I guess.”

Akaashi nodded once and watched him walk back the short distance to the kitchen. He stared in amazement back over the apartment before returning his gaze to the bedroom. He wandered within to view the possessions atop the dresser and immediately snatched up a framed photo. His eyebrows shot up at the image of him taken at an event from only about nine months earlier. 

It was just him in his suit. He wasn’t even looking at the camera. It wasn’t even a  _ good  _ photo. His hair was messy. He had red eye. He wasn’t even smiling.

_ ‘Why would you frame this? Even if it makes me so happy I want to cry, why would you frame this?’ _

Akaashi jumped as he felt Kuroo’s arms around his waist. The manager exhaled into his ear before taking the photo and placing it face down back on the dresser.

“That’s my favorite picture of you.”

“Why?” Akaashi breathed, trying to look at him from his peripheral.

“You look so human.”

Akaashi frowned, unsure of how to take that. Kuroo squeezed him, simultaneously squeezing all confusion out of him, leaving only affection. Akaashi smiled and leaned back into his chest.

“Hey,” Akaashi smiled.

“What?”

“Wanna make out?”

Kuroo snorted amusedly into his shoulder, “What are we? Teenagers?”

“I mean, I am,” Akaashi raised his eyebrows.

Kuroo paused for a minute, “Oh, yeah. Well, then. Sure.”

Akaashi beamed and broke away from him, pulling him by his hand to the bed. Kuroo chuckled as Akaashi climbed up onto the bed and grimaced at its stiffness. The actor slapped his hands onto the mattress and looked confusedly to him.

“What?” Kuroo asked with a smile.

_ “This?”  _ Akaashi laughed.  _ “This  _ is the bed that keeps you away from mine? You know my bed has  _ me,  _ right? And something resembling  _ comfort.” _

Kuroo laughed and gently pushed him back by the shoulders and startled climbing over him, “Yeah, but this bed is mine.”

Akaashi hummed as Kuroo covered his mouth with his own. Their lips moved together slowly at first. It didn’t last too long, though. Tongues and teeth quickly made their appearance as Kuroo moved off of Akaashi to lay beside him instead. Akaashi moaned lightly as Kuroo sucked on his tongue and ran his hand up the front of his sweater. He moaned louder as Kuroo tugged harshly on his piercing. Akaashi lifted one leg up over Kuroo’s hip and pulled him closer, feeling pride and pleasure at their erections as they pushed together.

His hands slid up Kuroo’s back and tangled in his hair as Kuroo kissed, licked and bit his way down to Akaashi’s neck. The actor sighed loudly and rocked his hips up automatically.

They both groaned and Akaashi rolled back as Kuroo’s phone rang. The manager pulled it from his pocket and frowned as he picked up.

“Yep. — Okay, be right there.”

Akaashi didn’t even frown. He just felt the disappointment gnawing at his vital organs as he stared blankly at the ceiling. Kuroo groaned as he sat up, then leaned and kissed him on the forehead before jabbing him in the side.

“Relax. It’s just the food.”

“Oh,” Akaashi’s cheeks brightened with embarrassment, and only got worse as Kuroo laughed. “Do you need help?”

“Nope. You stay right there.”

Akaashi rolled onto his side and smiled as Kuroo stood, “Thank you.”

Kuroo didn’t respond as he left the room, then the apartment. Akaashi frowned and sat up, staring around the room again. He hummed and stood, immediately going back to the dresser. He pulled open the top drawer, then closed it as there was nothing interesting within. Akaashi pursed his lips and glanced out into the living area, namely at the coffee table which certainly contained drawers. He moved out and glanced at the door before kneeling in front of the table.

“Office area, huh? All creepy old business men keep their secrets in their desk. Let’s see,” Akaashi snorted slightly at his own joke as he pulled open one large drawer.

It was as though the heavens split open and shined a light directly onto the top folder, simply reading,  _ ‘KŌTARŌ BOKUTO’.  _ Akaashi reached with shaking hands and removed it before opening it up.

_ ‘Surely this is more than breaching trust. You’re probably breaking the law, too. You should stop. Immediately.’ _

Only, he didn’t. Instead, he grabbed their contact and skimmed over the conditions and especially the money portion.

_ ‘Maybe you could just burn it. Maybe if you burn the contract, Kōtarō would just disappear. Maybe even just ripping it up would work.’ _

He resisted the urge to laugh at the 20% arrangement they had, knowing Kuroo only settled for that because if he went to for 30%, Bokuto would he losing nearly half of every paycheck between Kenma’s additional expense. His ears pricked as he heard movement in the hall and he quickly placed the folder back where it belonged before moving to the couch. The door opened and Kuroo struggled in before blinking at Akaashi.

“Ya never listen, huh? C’mon and eat.”

Bokuto stared at his ceiling, glaring. He wanted to… Or… AND MAYBE…

No.

There was nothing  _ to  _ do. He just wanted a  _ goddamn drink.  _ Quitting alcohol cold turkey really showed him how much he loved it. How much he actually  _ used  _ it. He was  _ dying.  _ With a capital M.

_ ‘Where does the M go? D Y I N G M,’  _ Bokuto thought.  _ ‘It stands for misery. Or maybe. M D Y I N G. Mdying. I am dying. Nice, brain.’ _

On top of that, he was  _ hungry.  _ So, so hungry. He decided he hated Kuroo, even if he loved the already life changing shifts in his career. He wasn’t sure  _ why  _ Akaashi seemed to like Kuroo so much, either. He didn’t care. He  _ also  _ hated Akaashi. He hated everyone. He hated every _ thing  _ and he would consider liking stuff again when he could have scotch over steak.

“Ya know what?  _ Fuck ‘im,”  _ Bokuto shot up, reaching for his phone. “I pay ‘im, he can  _ fix this.” _

He dialled Kuroo’s number and rolled his eyes at the voicemail he got.

“No, you  _ told  _ me as well as a  _ notary  _ that you’re available twenty four seven. Pick up,” Bokuto glared as he dialled again.

_ “What do you need? I’m busy.” _

“I’m dying. Fix me. That’s your job.”

Kuroo was silent for a minute and his voice sounded strained when he spoke again,  _ “Why?” _

“Why  _ what?”  _ Bokuto all but snapped. “I’m  _ sober  _ and I’m  _ hungry  _ and I don’t know how to  _ fix  _ that since I can’t  _ drink  _ or  _ eat.” _

_ “What do you want me to do about that?” _

Bokuto frowned as Kuroo’s voice became considerably softer by the end of his sentence. He held the phone away to stare strangely at it before pressing it back to his ear.

“I dunno. That’s why it’s  _ your  _ job. Especially considering you signed me  _ officially.” _

_ “Just go to sleep.” _

“I  _ can’t  _ sleep,” Bokuto strained.  _ “I. Am. Dying. Don’t. You. Under. Stand?” _

Kuroo sighed and spoke again after so long that Bokuto had to check and see if he hung up,  _ “Listen. I’m trying— I have a date. I can’t deal with you right now.” _

“I pay you. If you  _ don’t  _ deal with me, I’m going and getting  _ so much food—“ _

_ “Don’t,”  _ Kuroo snapped.

“I will,” Bokuto smiled. 

He was so miserable that getting a rise out of his evil manager really,  _ really  _ pleased him. He supposed three full months of drastically changing, sleep, activity, food, alcohol  _ and  _ drug levels  _ drastically  _ would do that to a man. It wasn’t his fault. It was  _ Kuroo’s.  _ He deserved this.

Kuroo groaned then inhaled sharply,  _ “Fuck. Fine. Don’t do anything. I’ll be right there.” _

“Fine. Hurry up. Honestly, I’m rather unsatisfied with the service you’re giving me. I pay you  _ way  _ too much.”

Kuroo paused and the longer he didn’t speak for, the larger Bokuto’s smile got,  _ “You’re right. I apologize. I’ll see you soon.” _

“Thank you, god,” Bokuto hung up the phone quickly so he could laugh without losing his edge.

It was about another hour before Kuroo showed up and Bokuto was actually considering throwing himself out the second story window. He opened the door and his manager stood with his bag and was in the process of fixing his messy hair.

“Were you sleeping?” Bokuto asked as he moved aside to let him in.

“No, I told you I was on a date. I may not  _ get  _ more dates, though, seeing as every time I’m on one, I have to leave.”

Bokuto hummed as he locked the door and followed him inside, “I assumed you were single because you’re a huge asshole.”

“Yeah, well, that too,” Kuroo mumbled as he slumped on the couch. “Would it kill ya to wear a shirt? You may not make as much as my other clients but I’m sure you make enough to afford shirts.”

Bokuto glanced down at his chest before smacking his abdomen, “I thought you’d wanna appreciate the fruits of your labor.”

Kuroo raised his eyebrows, “What?”

“Ugh, nothing,” Bokuto slumped on the couch across from Kuroo and threw his head in his hands. “I just meant because I have to go die at the gym, like, seventy five thousand times a week.”

“Ah.”

They sat in silence for a long while before Bokuto ran his hands down his face and looked up at Kuroo, who sat with his head laid back against the couch with his eyes shut.

“You’re not being helpful.”

“I don’t know how to help. It’s just a matter of willpower.”

Bokuto groaned,  _ “Distract me.” _

Kuroo opened his eyes and looked around before patting his chest and pulling his pen out. He held it up and showed it to Bokuto, who hummed his acknowledgment. Kuroo then made a very unenthusiastic show of making it “disappear” then pulled it out from behind Bokuto’s ear.

“Wow,” Bokuto said flatly. “Color me  _ enthralled.” _

“Okay,” Kuroo sat back. “Tell me what your interests are  _ other  _ than sex, drugs, and or otherwise dangerous, elicit activities that are detrimental for your career.”

Bokuto pursed his lips as he thought, “Wanna read lines with me? I’m strugglin’ hard with the scenes I have with Keiji because he’s the worst and I hate him.”

“Wow,” Kuroo breathed then waved a hand. “Fine. At least it’s work centric.”

Bokuto smiled faintly before standing and returning with his worn script and slapped it into Kuroo’s hand. The manager raised his eyebrows as Bokuto sat directly next to him. Bokuto paid no attention and leaned over him to flip to the scene in question.

“From here,” Bokuto pointed.

Kuroo nodded and read in a flat voice, “Wow, this is really your house?”

“Can you at least  _ try?”  _ Bokuto sighed.

Kuroo repeated himself with some inflection,  _ “Wow,  _ this is really your house?”

Bokuto laughed, “Yeah. How do you like it?”

“It’s extremely impressive, Mr. Hayley.”

“Noah,” Bokuto looked at Kuroo, “I told you to call me James.”

Kuroo faked a flat laugh, “How about Jim?”

Bokuto smiled, attempting to push emotion into his voice and face, “Absolutely not.”

“Ah, well,” Kuroo chuckled. “Your house is very nice anyway, James.”

“Would you like to see more if it, then?”

Kuroo frowned at the page, “Only if it’s the bedroom.”

“How unimaginative,” Bokuto drawled seductively. “How terribly boring… Believing the bedroom is the only place where love can happen.”

Kuroo frowned harder as he glanced back at Bokuto, who got ever closer, “Love?”

“Don’t make me laugh. You’re a smart kid. You know what this is.”

Kuroo bit his tongue as Bokuto took his cheek in his palm and stared down at the script that seemed to be the only thing lending any space between them, “Yes, I know you’re incapable of real love.”

“Are you asking for proof?”

“Irrefutable evidence, more like.”

“Anything you want,” Bokuto breathed and Kuroo more than startled back— he fully jumped off the couch. 

He held his hand over his mouth where Bokuto’s lips grazed his own. They both stared at each other in equal shock but for entirely separate reasons.

“What?” Bokuto asked, examining Kuroo’s incredulous and red face.

_ “What?”  _ Kuroo demanded and flapped the script in his general direction. “You kissed me!”

Bokuto gestured to the script, “We’re reading lines.”

_ “So read the lines!”  _ Kuroo shouted and slapped the script with the back of his hand. “Don’t  _ kiss  _ me.”

“The lines said to kiss you. You’re overreacting.”

Kuroo narrowed his eyes at him as the actor stretched his arms across the back of the couch, “I’m your  _ manager.  _ This is incredibly unprofessional.”

Bokuto raised his eyebrows, “And you telling me you’re always too busy for me and that a date is more important than you doing your job is  _ what  _ exactly? Because  _ professional  _ isn’t exactly the word that crosses my mind.”

Kuroo sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Okay, yeah. You got me there. I apologize. I was behaving unprofessionally. I won’t moving forward, okay? Bigger priority.”

“Sure,” Bokuto said. “I want to be an equal priority to Keiji.”

_ “Equal?”  _ Kuroo furrowed his brow and shook his head, “No, no. Not equal. Bigger priority, but not tied for biggest.”

“I don’t  _ understand,”  _ Bokuto said. “You always say he’s  _ such  _ a  _ good  _ client but then why does he take up, like, 90% of your time? He only pays you  _ 10%,  _ while I pay you  _ twenty.  _ I demand it.”

_ “He  _ makes more money than you. He  _ works  _ more than you. His ten percent makes me more than your twenty does. He takes up more of my time because he has more things to deal with than you do. Brand deals, merch lines, talk shows, charity things, need I go on? Being a  _ good  _ client is more than just  _ ‘oh, he listens to me’.  _ Keiji is  _ garbage  _ at listening to me, really it’s like he does it on purpose, but the rest makes up for it. He shows up on time, prepared, and he does  _ good  _ work. Okay? If anything I am robbing him with ten percent. Asking ten percent from him is like asking forty percent from you, but the numbers check out. How I divide my time doesn’t  _ concern  _ you. As long as I am doing my job, it shouldn’t and doesn’t matter.”

Bokuto watched him speak with a blank expression and when he was done, he laughed loudly, “Yeesh, I strike a nerve or somethin’? Sit down, relax.”

Kuroo resisted the urge to scowl and sat beside him again and looked back to the script, “Anyway.”

“Give me your honest opinion,” Bokuto sat back and crossed his ankle over his knee.

“It always is,” Kuroo muttered to the script.

Bokuto picked the script up and flipped the pages around before shutting it, “Is this movie gonna be bad for my reputation? What with the  _ gay  _ and the  _ Keiji  _ of it all?”

“The  _ Keiji  _ of it all?”

“Yeah.”

Kuroo encouraged him to elaborate with a hand gesture, “I apologize, I don’t quite understand what that means.”

“Well, to begin with, it’s his  _ real  _ debut into adult entertainment. Obviously not adult like  _ that,  _ but adult being  _ not children’s.  _ So, that’s probably gonna get us poor reviews right away, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Kuroo sat back. “It could honestly go either way, but generally I think the public is open to Keiji moving forward in his career. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a man, and this type of thing usually goes better for them. If anything, the gay will be a bigger problem than Keiji. Society and all that. Just perform well, make a good movie and it should be fine.”

Bokuto hummed and nodded, “Okay. Then, I’m a bit worried because of our age difference. He’s eighteen. I just turned twenty six. I’m just a bit worried about how the public will take that.”

Kuroo did his absolute best to keep his face even despite the gaping hole in his chest and weight in his stomach, “It’s fine.”

“Yeah, but—“

_ “It’s fine.  _ The public won’t notice something like that. Besides, if they do, Keiji is turning nineteen next month and will be halfway to twenty by the time it’s released. It’ll be fine. Nineteen sounds better than eighteen, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess. Plus, we’re just acting. It’s not like it’s  _ real,  _ right?”

Kuroo stared down at the script, “Yeah.”

“Thanks!” Bokuto beamed as he stood, “You actually managed to make me feel a bit better! Ha!  _ Managed!  _ I didn’t even mean to do that! I just kept hearing  _ ‘pervert, pervert, pervert’  _ every time I had to kiss him. Felt like I’d have to take his propeller hat off before pretending to fuck ‘im. Ya know?”

The anger consumed the hole in Kuroo’s chest entirely. Shame that always existed in his heart was amplified ten fold.

_ “He’s eighteen,”  _ Kuroo snapped. “Shut up about that perv shit.”

Bokuto turned back in surprise and blinked his wide eyes, “Uh? Wow?”

“Besides,” Kuroo cleared his throat. “Starting next month you  _ are  _ dating Keiji, so. At least according to the public. Do with that what you will.”

_ “I’m what?” _

“Yeah. Kenma and I were talking and reached out to the director and the L&S PR team and we all agreed that it’d stir up some great publicity for the movie.  _ ‘Kōtarō Bokuto is gay? Or at least bisexual? He’s in love? For the first time since before we learned his name? With Keiji Akaashi of all people? Wow, I need to see this movie’.” _

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No. I refuse.”

“Then find a new manager.”

_ “What?”  _ Bokuto demanded. “You can’t just make me  _ gay  _ and  _ in love.  _ Especially not with that  _ brat.  _ He’s a fuckin’ kid!”

Kuroo shrugged, “You’re whatever I say you are.”

Bokuto glared harshly at him and crossed his arms, “And he’s just  _ fine  _ with this?”

“He doesn’t know yet.”

_ “Why?” _

“Because surely he’ll react even worse than you are right now. It’s almost as if you don’t remember how hard you worked to get me to sign you,” Kuroo stood. “It’s kinda like you don’t remember  _ I  _ can fire  _ you.” _

Bokuto frowned as Kuroo got closer after picking his bag up.

“It’s like you don’t remember that  _ you  _ need  _ me  _ and  _ I  _ don’t need  _ you.” _

Bokuto blinked and turned to watch him leave, “Where are you going?”

“Home. Go to bed.”

Kuroo closed his door and threw his bag down. He stripped to his underwear as he crossed the apartment and froze in the doorway as the light from the kitchen vaguely illuminated Akaashi’s sleeping form. He wore one of Kuroo’s suit shirts as he faced away, atop the blankets. Kuroo paused before moving silently within and attempted to shift the bed as little as possible as he got in.

He laid beside Akaashi and snuck an arm under him while wrapping the other over him. He pulled the man closer to him until he laid against his chest, then pressed a series of small kisses against the side of his head.

“Tetsurō,” Akaashi breathed.

Kuroo shushed him gently, “Sleep.”

Akaashi nodded, already obeying before he got the order. Kuroo ran his hand over Akaashi’s thigh, then massaged into his hip. He laid there with his eyes shut and a racing mind until he was  _ certain  _ Akaashi was asleep. Even if he was absolutely sure, he still whispered to him.

“Are you sleeping?”

Akaashi’s breathing stayed entirely even and he as a whole remained entirely unresponsive. Kuroo pressed his lips to Akaashi’s neck.

“Ya know what’s better than your bed with you in it?  _ My  _ bed with you in it.”

Kuroo took his hand from Akaashi’s hip to over his slightly bloated stomach beneath the shirt, feeling a strange mix of guilt and satisfaction.

“You look good when you eat and I wish I could let you do that more often.”

The manager bit his cheek as he relived his time at Bokuto’s house repeatedly inside of his head. He hid his face more fully into Akaashi’s neck.

“I’m sorry, Keiji.”

Kuroo stiffened when Akaashi shifted slightly, then waited for him to settle again, which didn’t take long. Regardless, he still waited much longer to speak again.

“I love you. And I’m sorry for that, too.”

He exhaled softly against Akaashi’s cheek before kissing him there and staring down at him.

Akaashi’s eyes shifted beneath their lids and his eyelashes lay heavily over his pale, pink cheeks. His messy curls from their love before Kuroo was whisked away were soft against Kuroo’s face. The ends of his white teeth were barely visible from Kuroo’s view from above his full lips. His skin was terribly soft beneath Kuroo’s hand. So warm, too. He smelled always of cinnamon and his fresh rain scented cologne. Or in other words, home and all that was good in the world.

Kuroo slipped his eyes shut and moved his hand up a touch to feel Akaashi’s heart beating until he was able to join him in slumber.


	4. Beatrice and Hendrix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is long oops lol

Bokuto kissed his way up Akaashi’s back before licking from the nape of his neck to his ear. He let out a shaky breath as he pounded himself relentlessly into him. Akaashi dropped down to his elbows as his moans rang loudly in Bokuto’s ears.

“Oh,  _ Kōtarō,”  _ he cooed.

“Oh,  _ god,”  _ Bokuto threw his head back, feeling unadulterated pleasure all through his body. Akaashi was  _ way  _ tighter than any woman he’d been with.

Even if a woman let him try anal, you know they did it way too often. Anyone who let you fuck their ass on the first date likely had a habit.

He dropped back down over Akaashi’s back as he continued thrusting harshly into him.

“Oh, fuck,” Akaashi gasped.  _ “Ohhhh, Kōtarō.  _ Ah, I’m gonna cum, Kōtarō.”

“Fuck,  _ good,”  _ Bokuto growled in his ear. “Fuckin’ cum, baby.”

He ran his hand up Akaashi’s chest and hesitantly touched his nipple piercing and then pulled slightly harder as Akaashi quickly moved to jerk himself off and moaned loudly. Bokuto’s breathing quickened and he couldn’t help but begin grunting softly as he could feel Akaashi pulling both his soul and orgasm from his body.

“Yeah, you like it?” Bokuto breathed, shutting his eyes as he tugged on Akaashi’s nipple and slammed into him.

Akaashi nearly screamed at every thrust, “Y-yes,  _ oh, fuck, yes, daddy. Yes, daddy. Daddy, fuck, oh— Ohhhhhhh.” _

Bokuto groaned loudly and shook as he came violently into Akaashi. He threw himself up and pressed down hard into Akaashi’s shoulders, sending him harshly into the mattress. Bokuto panted loudly and rode out his orgasm. Every nerve in his body was overwhelmed. His orgasm hit him like a tsunami. It was more intense than anything he’d ever felt in his entire life. He wanted to feel it  _ more. Again. Again.  _

He panted heavily as he slowed and looked down at Akaashi, who moaned and whimpered into a small collection of his own drool against Bokuto’s purple sheets. Bokuto reached and ran his hands over his shoulder blades, causing him to visibly jump at his touch and moan again. Bokuto sighed and ran his hands down his back and ass before squeezing gently. Akaashi moaned again and pushed up against his limp dick, eliciting a moan from Bokuto.

Bokuto pulled slowly out of him, watching closely as he spread Akaashi’s cheeks and groaning as he saw his cum leak out. He reached two fingers down to collect it before pushing it back inside. Akaashi moaned loudly and pushed back against his fingers. Bokuto hummed and pushed his fingers in and pulled them out, careful to take as little of his cum as possible back out.

“Turn over,” he whispered.

Akaashi whined softly as he rolled onto his back and Bokuto marvelled at his shaking thighs and his soft, red cock, still shiny from his own orgasm. He pressed his fingers into Akaashi’s mouth and moaned softly as he sucked them clean.

Akaashi watched him with soft, bright, lustful eyes with his spread legs. Bokuto gazed over his thin frame covered in his own cum, and landed on his nipples before removing his hand from Akaashi’s mouth to lightly pull at one, afraid to hurt him. His eyes snapped up to watch his face as he whined again.

“You’re a little slut, aren’t you?”

Akaashi nodded shyly and whispered, “Yes.”

“I love it,” Bokuto whispered back.

“I love you.”

Bokuto’s eyes moved back to Akaashi’s face, searching for humor, “Yeah?”

“Yes, daddy. I love you.”

The absolute joy that spread through Bokuto left him speechless. He merely stared at Akaashi with his piercing between this thumb and index finger. Akaashi laughed brightly and reached out to him. Bokuto frowned and leaned in slightly and Akaashi wrapped his hands around his neck before pulling him in and kissing him warmly. Bokuto returned the gesture. They were chaste kisses. Only lips. But they were so, so good. Warm. Loving. Genuine. Bokuto was unused to that.

“This is when you say you love me, too,” Akaashi laughed against his lips.

Bokuto moved his face away and hid it in his neck with a smile. He whispered gently, “I love you, too.”

Akaashi laughed again, the sound akin to angels serenading Bokuto in a bed of feathers while feeding him forbidden delicacies. He wrapped his arms around Bokuto’s broad shoulders and held him closely while Bokuto settled between his legs and simply enjoyed his heat.

“Don’t ever leave me, daddy.”

Bokuto pressed a couple kisses into Akaashi’s neck before sucking into his skin, then pulling over it with his teeth, “Nothing could ever make me go, baby.”

Akaashi hummed contentedly at that and ran his nimble fingers over Bokuto’s back. They both startled as a phone rang, dragging them from their momentary romantic bliss.

Bokuto groaned and rolled over, groping for his phone. He forced one eye open and squinted against the light of the screen and glared at the missed call. He quickly turned on do not disturb before rolling back over. He snapped his eyes open and shot up.

_ “WHAT THE FUCK?” _

Bokuto groaned as reality wracked at his shaky, sleep bogged body. He laid back and kicked his blanket off before peeling back his briefs and groaning again at the mess his  _ extremely  _ large cumshot created there.

“Is this even  _ normal?  _ I’m too old for this shit.”

He kept his underwear held away from his body as he struggled to stand, then shimmied them off. He grimaced at his cold, sticky dick as he walked to the bathroom and turned the shower on.

“This is  _ Tetsurō’s  _ fault,” he grumbled to himself, then continued in a mocking tone.  _ “No scandals, Kōtarō. No alcohol, Kōtarō. No  _ food,  _ Kōtarō. No women, no drugs, no  _ fun,  _ no  _ living,  _ Kōtarō.  _ Fuck you.”

Bokuto stepped under the warm water and his muscles melted as he saturated his hair before grabbing the soap.

“And  _ now  _ the only form of romance I have in my stupid, bleak life is fucking  _ Keiji Akaashi.  _ That’s all this is. I spend a lot of time pretending to want to fuck him, so it’s only normal that it made its way into my dreams.”

Bokuto lathered the shampoo in his hands before running it through his hair. He spent some time massaging it in before moving to rinse it out.

“He’s the only person you’ve kissed in a long time now. Ever since Tetsurō banned you from happiness.”

He stepped back out of the water before applying the conditioner and taking the body wash. He stared at his large hands as he began washing himself.

“Besides, it’d be fine. Right? It’s not like Keiji is  _ ugly.  _ Even if he is the most stuck up person I’ve met maybe ever.”

Bokuto looked down and focused on cleaning his dick off thoroughly, pulling his foreskin back and getting under there as well. He bit his cheek as his dream replayed in his mind, still feeling the sensation of his orgasm in waking life.

“How fuckin’ wild would it be if that’s how it actually felt?”

He sighed gently as he felt a slight jolt to his cock as he thought about his dream orgasm again. He pursed his lips as he continued stroking the soap over himself.

“He’s eighteen,” Bokuto scolded his growing erection.

_ ‘But,’  _ he thought.  _ ‘That’s kinda hot.’ _

He bit his tongue lightly as he turned back towards the water to rinse himself off. The second he finished that, he returned his hand to his cock. He glanced down at how his length was fully stretched out and ran his thumb over the head of it.

“What am I? Fifteen? Twice in a row like this?” He whispered as he ran his free hand over his chest before tucking it under his armpit. “Honestly, that’s kinda hot, too.”

_ ‘But am I really gonna intentionally masturbate to Keiji? Dreaming was one thing, but…’ _

Only, it was already done. His brain refused to stop moving back to dream Keiji. His surprisingly risque piercings. The way he expertly took him. The way he knew exactly what Bokuto wanted him to do.

_ ‘That wasn’t real, though. He’s probably a virgin. Actually…’ _

His brain turned over with  _ new  _ thoughts of an  _ inexperienced  _ Keiji. One who wasn’t sure and looked to Bokuto for guidance. Asking occasionally if he was doing alright so Bokuto could say,  _ ‘Yes, baby. Oh, so good’. _

_ ‘Except… He’s eighteen and famous as hell. No way he’s a virgin. But Tetsurō said he almost never leaves his house. And I’ve only seen him interact with one person outside of what was necessary and—‘ _

Bokuto’s eyes snapped open as a  _ very  _ disturbing picture crossed his mind— Kuroo’s lips on Akaashi’s. Akaashi’s hands in Kuroo’s hair. Both of them moving together. Bokuto tore his hand away from his cock and stared at it in disgust before slapping himself in the top of the head.

_ “STUPID BRAIN. What the hell, brain? We’re supposed to be friends!” _

He frowned as his brain continued thinking regardless of the very  _ harsh  _ scolding Bokuto had given it. He kept seeing Akaashi on Kuroo’s lap, grinding into him. Kuroo praised him for being such a good,  _ good  _ boy. Bokuto grimaced, unsure how he felt about it. Mentally, anyways. Physically, his body made a  _ point  _ of showing Bokuto just how much it liked the images in the form of precum dripping down his cock, mingling in with the warm water from the shower.

“I dunno, dick,” Bokuto said unsurely as it twitched at the thought of Akaashi choking on Kuroo’s cock. “I dunno if I wanna think about that evil douche gettin’ more snazz than me.”

He felt a jolt through his gut as his mind's eye landed his cock back inside of Akaashi, soaking in his pleading moans.

_ “Don’t tell Tetsurō,”  _ Akaashi would moan.  _ “He’ll be too jealous.” _

“Attaboy, brain,” Bokuto moaned faintly as he took himself back in his hand, immediately going to town.

It would be just him and Akaashi on set, everyone else long gone. Akaashi would be in his dressing room, wiping his makeup off in a robe and Bokuto would be watching him from the couch.

“Tetsurō is really getting on my nerves lately,” he would say.

Then Bokuto would hum and drawl in the perfect show of  _ just  _ distant enough intrigue, “That so?”

“Yes. He treats me like a child, but I’m a man now,” Akaashi would sigh. “I just want someone to treat me as such.”

Bokuto would raise an eyebrow and shift in his seat as Akaashi put his makeup wipe in the bin, “And how would one do that?”

Akaashi would stare at him through the mirror before pulling the draw string to his robe and slide it slightly back, revealing his shoulders, “I think you know what I have in mind.”

Bokuto would stand, already at full attention, “Yeah, I think I do.”

Akaashi would smile shyly with a blush as he looked away.

“And who would do this for you?”

Then Akaashi would meet his eye again with ever reddening cheeks as he slid his robe fully off, exposing his  _ admittedly  _ perfect body to Bokuto. 

Then he’d whisper, “If you want it… Come and get it.”

Real Bokuto moaned as he fell against the shower wall with one hand and slowly pulled on his cock with the other, for some reason wanting to see the end of his own scenario.

Bokuto would quickly cross over to him and Akaashi would turn back to accept him into his arms as they kissed. Their tongues would wrap together and Bokuto would easily pick him up and place him on the counter before taking his slim waist in two large hands, his fingers nearly touching again in the back.

He’d work his way down Akaashi’s neck, leaving harsh marks the young actor would certainly get scolded for, but paid no mind. He wanted people to know. He wanted  _ Kuroo  _ to know, and he knew Akaashi wanted that, too.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt when Akaashi would whisper, “Kōtarō. Show him I’m yours.”

“You’re mine?” Bokuto would chuckle into his neck as Akaashi rocked up into him.

“Oh,  _ yes,”  _ Akaashi would purr. “I’m all yours, daddy.”

Bokuto would bite down on his neck as he hastily removed his pants. Akaashi would spit in his hand and rub it out over Bokuto’s cock before pressing it into himself.

“Oh, shit,” Real Bokuto moaned, standing back to grab at his balls with his free hand.

He envisioned himself wrecking Akaashi on the counter in front of the mirror in his dressing room. He imagined his cock disappearing repeatedly and harshly into Akaashi’s tight hole as he scratched at his back and moaned his name.

_ “Ohh,”  _ Akaashi would cry. “Fuck, yes, daddy. So much better than Tetsurō.”

Bokuto would growl into his ear, “Don’t even mention him.”

“Why?” Akaashi would whisper. “You don’t like hearing about how much bigger and better you are, daddy?”

Bokuto would groan into his ear and slam into him, getting louder cries from Akaashi, “I want you to tell me I’m bigger and better than  _ everyone  _ that came before.”

Akaashi would cry into his ear,  _ “There was only him.” _

“Because you’re so innocent,” Bokuto would groan. “But you aren’t, are you?”

Akaashi would be too busy falling apart to respond. He’d throw his head back and it would hit lightly into the mirror with every thrust.

“There were lots before, weren’t there?”

Akaashi would yell out religiously and do his best to shake his head, “No, daddy.”

“No?” Bokuto would moan into his collarbone. “Who do you belong to, then?”

“You, daddy,” Akaashi would cry.

“Oh, damn right,” Bokuto would groan loudly. “And who  _ don’t  _ you belong to?”

“Tetsurō.”

Real Bokuto groaned loudly as he sped up his stroking. He would occasionally tease the tip of his cock and pull his hand away entirely when he felt himself getting dangerously close. His breaths came out in short puffs as he tensed his abdominal and thigh muscles.

_ ‘Not yet,’  _ he thought.

He would pick Akaashi up by his thighs and lean back slightly as the younger man grabbed him by the shoulders. He would assist Bokuto’s thrusts by using the leverage of Bokuto’s hands on his thighs and bouncing onto his cock as he moaned noisily.

“I’m gonna cum, daddy. You’re gonna make me cum,” Akaashi would pant into his neck.

“Yeah, good,” Bokuto would grunt as he thrusted up harshly into him.

Real Bokuto’s eyes squeezed shut as he couldn’t pull himself from the edge in time. He groaned loudly as his mind sounded what he thought Akaashi’s moans would sound like. Effeminate, loud, breathy. He felt the coil in his gut snap as he shot his load out, stroking quickly and vaguely pulling at his balls as he moaned.

“Shit, Keiji.”

He slowed his pace and then dropped his softening dick as he fluttered his eyes open, watching his cum circle the drain before falling down it. He pursed his lips as he stared on in defeat.

“Okay. That’s something I’ve done now.”

He made quick work of washing himself up again before shutting off the water and patting himself dry with a towel. He dropped the towel to the floor before moving back to his bedroom and climbing into his bed, not bothering with clothes. He checked the time on his phone.

5:17AM

_ ‘Now there’s only four hours before you have to go to Kenma’s office. Where Tetsurō will be. And Keiji. So they can break the news to him that he has to “date” you now. And you’ll have to look into their eyes as if you didn’t masturbate to the idea of cuckolding Kuroo with his teenaged client. That’ll be great. Fantastic.’ _

Bokuto pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and turned onto his side.

_ ‘But. If you’re technically dating Akaashi, then masturbating to him isn’t that bad. I bet couples masturbate to each other all the time.’ _

He pushed the knowledge that they weren’t going to  _ really  _ be dating for the sake of his own well being and so he could get a bit more sleep before he had to go.

_ “No.” _

Bokuto raised his eyebrows as Akaashi got in Kuroo’s face. His eyes raked over his body. The young actor wore a tight, black turtleneck sweater that ended just below his ribs. Bokuto  _ attempted  _ not to ogle the way his white belt held his loose black pants to his impossibly slim waist. He shifted his eyes up to his face. His cheeks were red and his angry eyes were hidden behind gold rimmed glasses.

“Keiji,” Kuroo pushed him gently back by the shoulders from the other side of the desk. “It’s been decided.”

_ “Not by me. One of the people being forced into this nightmare.” _

Kenma examined Akaashi with distant eyes as he threw his hands back onto the desk and pushed against Kuroo’s hand.

“Calm down,” Kenma said flatly.

Akaashi’s glare intensified to a level that Bokuto had to look away from as it shifted to the small blond.

“This is good for the project. You go out for once, eat a bowl of soup, go home and be alone. No big deal. The movie comes out, you break up after three months.”

Akaashi practically seethed as he spoke to him, “It  _ is  _ a big deal.”

“Why?” Kenma asked, not showing any signs of being bothered by his tone or demeanour. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

_ “Because I’m already seeing someone.” _

The entire room stilled. Everyone stared at Akaashi with varying levels of shock. Kenma’s face never really shifted, but he did glance at Kuroo, looking for confirmation of the fact. Kuroo’s face showed shock initially but then quickly fell back to its expressionless state. Bokuto, though, stared in complete surprise.

_ ‘Who?’  _ Bokuto thought.  _ ‘Tell us who. I need to know.’ _

“You are?” Kenma asked.

“Yes—“

_ “And,”  _ Kuroo inserted himself firmly. “You signed a NDA.”

Akaashi’s eyes travelled back to him, the anger still visible in his entire body before throwing his hands up and backing away, “This isn’t okay. No, I’m not doing this. I don’t care. I’m not.”

_ ‘NDA? Why? Who is it? Why can’t you talk about it? Unless…’ _

Bokuto looked away from Akaashi and back up at Kuroo, who seemed resigned to his fate of the fight. They stared each other down from a distance and Kenma went onto his phone.

“You have to do this, Keiji.”

_ “No, I don’t!”  _ Akaashi laughed incredulously.

“Keep your goals in mind. This is what will  _ really  _ help you reach all of them. It doesn’t mean anything. You go on your fake dates then go home to your S/O. Figuratively speaking. They’re fine with this arrangement and you should be, too. Everyone wants to see you succeed. Okay? What’s the big deal?”

“The  _ big deal,”  _ Akaashi strained, “Is that they shouldn’t be okay with this arrangement. If I’m  _ theirs  _ then they shouldn’t be fine with me  _ fake dating this—“ _

“If you’re theirs then they wouldn’t make you sign an NDA. I mean, at the very least, they wouldn’t want you doing this,” Kenma said, not even looking up.

Kuroo pressed a defeated and frustrated hand to his forehead as Akaashi turned his rage on him.

“Tough love, sorry Keiji,” Kenma said. “If they loved ya, they’d show it. What do they have to hide? You’d be good for any career. They sound like an idiot. Drop them.”

Akaashi stared between Kenma and Kuroo, neither of which would look at him before turning on his heel. Kuroo’s eyes snapped up and he sighed before calling out just as Akaashi walked out of the door.

“Where are you going, Keiji?”

“To find a new team. Fuck both of you.”

Kenma rolled his eyes and looked at Kuroo before they shared a pained look. Kuroo sighed again and moved to go after him. Bokuto shifted in his seat and glanced at Kenma, who was back on his phone.

“So—“

Kenma held a hand up, “No.”

“Alrighty, then.”

Akaashi rushed down the hallway, hurt and anger eating at his starving body. He didn’t get to eat breakfast since  _ Kenma  _ scheduled their  _ hell  _ meeting at  _ nine.  _ He was about to storm down the stairs when Kuroo caught him by the collar of his sweater. Akaashi turned and glared back at him.

_ “What?” _

“Let’s talk.”

_ “No. Fuck you.” _

Kuroo merely stared at him for a moment before Akaashi broke and nodded. Kuroo offered the smallest smile before pulling him into an empty office and locking the door behind him. Akaashi glanced at the nameplate on the desk and just hoped Mark Heller wouldn’t need to return within the next few minutes.

“Why are you freaking out?”

“Because I hate this. I hate Kōtarō. I hate Kenma. I hate this arrangement  _ you _ made  _ with _ Kenma for me to date Kōtarō. It’s stupid and I don’t want to do it and I won’t do it and I’m not doing it—“

“Keiji,” Kuroo breathed.

Akaashi crossed his arms and stared at the floor, “How could you just let him tell me to leave you?”

Kuroo bit his cheek hard, “Keiji, don’t make me say it.”

“No,” Akaashi looked up, fire in his eyes. “Say it. Do it.”

“Keiji…”

_ “Say it,”  _ Akaashi stepped forward.

Kuroo wouldn’t meet his eye as Akaashi hovered an inch away from his face, “He doesn’t know we were talking about me, and… We’re not dating.”

Akaashi scoffed against his cheek,  _ “Coward.” _

Kuroo shut his eyes as Akaashi violently tore away from him and began yelling.

_ “Fine!  _ You want me to  _ date  _ Kōtarō? That’ll make you happy? Fine! I’ll date Kōtarō. I’ll date the  _ hell  _ out of him. Fuck you.”

Kuroo caught him by the wrist before he could get away, “Okay, good. Here’s the plan. You two leave here separately, then you meet back up in eight hours. I don’t care what you do or where you go as long as you look in love and get your picture taken doing it. If you two go out to eat, those calories count. Act accordingly. Then when you’re done that, Kōtarō goes to your house with you. He stays the night. Then he makes sure he’s caught leaving the next day in the same clothes. Okay?”

Akaashi stared at the floor with his back turned and his wrist still pulled behind him by Kuroo. He nodded but otherwise didn’t respond.

“And… Don’t—“ Kuroo sighed and looked away. “Don’t sleep with him. Please.”

Akaashi finally stood straight and looked back at that, “Don’t?”

Kuroo stared at the far wall and shook his head.

“Okay,” Akaashi said meekly.

They stayed in silence for a long while before Kuroo dropped his grip on Akaashi’s wrist. The actor wrapped his arms around himself and Kuroo ran his hand over his mouth as he faced away.

“Can you come over later, then?” Akaashi whispered.

Kuroo slowly shook his head, “What kind of date has your manager there?”

Akaashi paused, “The kind I want?”

“Keiji…” Kuroo breathed. “Besides, Kenma and I have to stay here and—“

“You and Kenma,” Akaashi said flatly.

_ “And do work things.  _ You know how year end is around here.”

_ ‘Work things,’  _ Akaashi thought bitterly.  _ ‘Seeing as you’re my manager, I gather ‘work things’ is a loose term for you.’ _

“Okay,” Akaashi said before turning. “I’ll see you later, then.”

“Hey,” Kuroo turned back. Akaashi paused. “Happy birthday. I’ll make this up to you.”

Akaashi tensed up and laughed quietly, “Yeah.”

Bokuto sat and stared at Kenma as he tapped away at his phone. Neither had spoken for over ten minutes by the time Kuroo returned, staring at his own phone. Bokuto noted the definite slump to his shoulders. Kenma glanced up before looking back down.

“So?”

“He’ll do it.”

Kuroo leaned against the desk and stared at Bokuto as Kenma turned his chair around with a chuckle.

“You’re like the brat whisperer.”

“Uh huh,” Kuroo grumbled then pushed at Bokuto’s chair with his foot. “You.”

“Me,” Bokuto said.

“In eight hours, you pick up Keiji. I’ll send you his address. You two go do some public things, get your pictures taken a bit. It’s his birthday, so make it nice. He isn’t easy to please. Maybe a nice restaurant. Something classy. Get him a dessert with a candle, but make it a surprise. Get him a gift. You go back to his house and spend the night, curtains drawn. You can sit in separate rooms and hate your lives for all I care. You leave the next morning and be sure people see you in your slept in clothes. Or maybe  _ not  _ slept in clothes. But don’t touch him. Not… Like  _ that.  _ Not for anything that isn’t for the cameras. Or… Without very, very,  _ very  _ clearly expressed consent, anyway. Maybe be sure to get it in writing. And get that notarized. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool. Also, since you have far more experience with unsolicited crowds than he does  _ and  _ you’re playing the role of doting boyfriend and changed man, you’re protecting him. If one hair on his head is harmed, you’re finished. Hear me?”

Bokuto sat back and rested his hands on the top of his head, “Yeah. Even if I can’t stand him, I wouldn’t feed him to the wolves. C’mon, now.”

Kuroo stared at him for so long that even Kenma looked back up to see what was going on. Bokuto stared up into Kuroo’s dark eyes, attempting to seem as non-confrontational as possible. Kuroo narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in whatever he seemed to be thinking about.

_ ‘I see,’  _ Bokuto thought.  _ ‘I get it now. And they say not to think with your dick. My dick’s gotten me way further than my stupid brain ever has—‘ _

“Okay. Get out.”

Bokuto nodded and stood, slapping Kuroo on the shoulder, already reaching for the cigarettes in his breast pocket, “See ya, boss man.”

Kuroo stared at the back of his head and spoke the second his foot stepped out the door, “Actually. Sit. Let’s get detailed.”

Bokuto’s shoulders slumped as he turned back around, “Detailed.  _ Great.” _

“Get detailed  _ out  _ of my office,” Kenma said.

Kuroo glanced at him and gestured to the door, “Let’s.”

Bokuto moped out of the door,  _ “Let’s.” _

Akaashi stood in the furthest bathroom, the one with the sheet on the mirror, only he had that sheet moved aside. He leaned forward and patted his tinted lip balm into his lips and blinked his mascara coated lashes at himself. He hadn’t changed his outfit as he felt it looked nice, but he did add a golden necklace ending in a crucifix as well as matching gold rings for all the piercings in his ears. He pursed his lips and reached into the bottom drawer before carefully selecting an arrangement of rings for his fingers. He held his shaking hands out in front of him before deciding he approved of the addition and closed the drawer again.

He stared at himself in the mirror again before turning to the side and staring at his exposed midriff. He frowned and placed a hand over it to attempt to suck in his very slight “pudge”. He scowled as it only disappeared with a firm pressure from his hand.

“I don’t even  _ need  _ organs, so  _ why?” _

He then peeled his shirt slightly up to view how his ribs made him appear far broader and boxier than he wanted. He wanted to be slimmer. More feminine. His ribs prevented that.

“Why are there so many of you?” He whispered before his eyes caught on something he  _ loathed. _

His arm was pressed against his side and  _ flattened  _ a touch. He leaned forward in shock. He immediately moved his hand to his arm, wrapping his fingers around it and nearly threw up when there was a bigger gap of distance between his fingers than normal.

“No.”

He immediately ripped a drawer open and removed a cloth measuring tape and wrapped it around his arm. He stared down at the number 10.4 for what felt like eternity.

_ “No,”  _ he snapped.

He looked back at himself in the mirror. His eyes didn’t stray from the way the measuring tape pulled his skin in. He felt bile pushing up his throat as he stared. His eyes slowly pushed from his arm, down to the rest of his body, then met his own eyes.

_ “You thought you looked good,”  _ he laughed loudly.

He angrily tore the sheet back over his reflection and returned to his closet. He glanced around at the clothes there, looking for anything that could cover him up and still look good.

“A losing battle. Nothing will fix what you’ve done. It’ll all look ugly because  _ you’re  _ ugly. Just pick something.”

Akaashi reached out and grabbed a white and black jacket with especially loose arms. He zipped it up part way as to hide his stomach, but keep his jewelry visible, including the outline of his nipple rings. He ran his hands down his side and considered it’s high hemline. His hands travelled to his ass and he felt his palms fill out with it as he considered changing.

“No, it’s okay for asses to be fat. That’s a good thing.”

His phone rang from in his bed and he scowled at his clothes before turning to answer it. He knelt in the middle of the mattress and stared at Bokuto’s name before reluctantly picking up.

“Yes?”

_ “Keiji, I’m here. What’s the code?” _

“No. I’ll just come meet you.”

_ “Okay, but that’ll look weird. I’m being  _ watched.  _ Just give me the code.” _

Akaashi sighed heavily, “4-7-6-9.”

_ “Okay.” _

Akaashi stood and moved through the house, pocketing his phone, wallet, sunglasses and gum as he went. He stepped outside and made sure the door was locked before turning and squinting into the flashes that came from the other side of his gate. He made it down the steps before stopping and blinking at Bokuto, who stood by the passenger side of his  _ own  _ car with the door opened for him. No driver.

_ ‘He’s the driver,’  _ Akaashi thought.  _ ‘That’s pretty cool.’ _

“Hey,” Bokuto said. “You look really nice.”

“Hello.”

Akaashi slid into the passenger seat of the shockingly clean car and Bokuto closed the door before getting in on his own side. He let out a hefty sigh and looked at Akaashi as he did his seatbelt up.

“Are those people  _ always  _ there or did Tetsurō tip ‘em off?”

“Not always, but frequently,” Akaashi said as he stared up at his house, longing to go back inside.

“Aren’t you gonna put your seatbelt on? My car will ding the entire time if you don’t.”

Akaashi glanced over at him before frowning and doing just that. Bokuto pulled away and they drove in silence until they got onto the highway, when Bokuto glanced at him.

“So, uh, happy birthday!”

Akaashi glared at him before staring out the window again. Bokuto tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

“I decided we can be friends for the next twelve hours. As, like, a gift. For your birthday. Since… That’s the day it is,” he muttered awkwardly.

“Joy.”

Bokuto pursed his lips, “Right. So, what do you want to do?”

“Go home and be alone without you.”

“Okay,” Bokuto breathed. “Seeing as that’s not an option, what else?”

“I don’t care. Let’s just get this done.”

Bokuto sighed, “Keiji. It’s your  _ birthday.  _ You’re  _ nineteen.  _ Let’s have  _ fun!  _ C’mon.”

Akaashi turned and glared at him,  _ “Fun?” _

“Yeah! Fu—“

“How, exactly, am I supposed to have  _ fun?” _

“By not being boring?” Bokuto grimaced.

Akaashi turned fully in his seat and leaned into Bokuto’s space, “I am  _ not  _ having fun. I am with  _ you.  _ I look stupid, I feel disgusting,  _ and  _ apparently I am  _ single.  _ I do  _ not  _ want to be here. Shut  _ up  _ about  _ fun.” _

“Single?” Bokuto’s eyebrows shot up. “What happened?”

“I was under the impression I was in a relationship, but  _ apparently  _ I was incorrect in thinking so.”

Bokuto stared at taillights as he considered how Kuroo could be so stupid for someone who was so smart. He hummed and glanced at Akaashi as he moved back to his window.

“Okay. Let’s break the rules tonight!”

“Break the rules,” Akaashi said flatly.

“Yeah. Fuck Tetsurō and his stupid rules. For the next twelve hours.”

Akaashi turned and Bokuto could smell him wondering what he knew, so he continued.

“Breakups are a bitch and Tetsurō’s rules aren’t gonna help. So, since it’s your birthday and whoever did that to ya is a stupid fuckin’ goof, let’s just say fuck everything and fall apart for a bit.”

Akaashi sat back with his crossed arms, but his glare was mostly gone as he whispered, “Which rules?”

“The food ones. And the booze ones. And the… Hm. I guess that’s it, but they're the ones I hate the most.”

Akaashi considered him for a minute, “Fine. But I’m not hungry, so don’t take me to a restaurant.”

“Sure. Then what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know,” Akaashi sighed. “Getting drunk sounds fun. I’ve never done that.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Let’s get started, then,” Bokuto beamed and reached across Akaashi to pull a flask out of the glove box.

Akaashi raised his eyebrows and stole it from him, “Okay. Where do I start with this?”

“The beginning?” Bokuto suggested helpfully.

“Wow,” Akaashi breathed and waved the flask around. “Firstly, you have  _ issues.  _ Secondly, it’s five o’clock in the evening. Thirdly,  _ you are not drinking until you’re done driving.” _

“Firstly, tell me about it. Secondly, so? Five is just as good a time as any. If anything it’ll loosen you up a bit. Thirdly, I didn’t plan on it, but as a passenger,  _ you  _ can. So get to it.”

Akaashi glared at him for a minute before turning back to the flask and unscrewing the top. He pressed it to his lips and the scent burned his nostrils. He took a deep breath and took a shot much too large and immediately gagged on it. Bokuto chuckled as Akaashi choked.

“It hurts,” Akaashi croaked.

“Hell ya, it does!”

Akaashi sighed and savored the way his body already felt fuzzy. It made the hurt hurt less even if it hurt in a different way than he already hurt. He took another, much smaller, swig from the flask before Bokuto stole it away. Akaashi frowned.

“Why’d you take it?”

“Take it easy. We’re just startin’ and ya have no tolerance  _ and  _ no meat on your bones. I still wanna interact with ya.”

Akaashi narrowed his eyes, his already skimpy filter even skimpier, “I do  _ so  _ have meat on my bones. I have  _ so much  _ meat on my bones that I had to put this stupid jacket on.”

Bokuto glanced over, “I like that stupid jacket. Reminds me of the L.A. Angels.”

“‘Cause it’s a, like,” Akaashi stared forward as he thought of words, “Like, a  _ blank  _ version of one of their jackets.”

“Why blank?” Bokuto suppressed a smile.

“Because I liked the jacket but I don’t endorse anyone that doesn’t pay me first.”

Bokuto couldn’t help the laugh that tore through him and glanced at Akaashi’s reluctant smile, “Smart. I like it.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you decided where we’re going, yet? Otherwise I’m just driving forever.”

Akaashi hummed and glanced out his window, pointing down at the city before the next exit, “There?”

“A  _ mall?” _

“Yeah, I’ve never been to a mall.”

_ “What?”  _ Bokuto all but shrieked as he made the lane change to the exit.

Akaashi chuckled, “Yeah. My managers always said it was, like,  _ dangerous  _ or something.”

“Should we not go, then?”

“I thought we’re breaking the rules?” Akaashi raised his eyebrows. “Or have you decided to be boring?”

Bokuto blinked at him before smiling at the highway, “Fair enough.”

Bokuto got out of the car and opened Akaashi’s door for him after they each took a turn with the flask. He slammed the door shut and held a hand out for the younger actor, who stared at it before slapping his own into it.

“Let’s do it right if we’re doing it.”

“Agreed,” Bokuto said as he weaved their fingers together and led him to the mall.

They only hardly made it inside before turning heads. People gawked and they whispered but no one approached them. Akaashi glanced around the busy centre and Bokuto stared at him as he did so.

“Where do you wanna go now?”

“I don’t know what there is.”

“That’s fine. We can just walk until something catches your eye.”

Akaashi nodded and they started off again. After a certain point, the younger man leaned closer into the larger one. Bokuto glanced down and noticed the nervousness on his face.

He nudged him with his elbow and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

“There’s more people than I was expecting,” Akaashi whispered back. “I’ve never been in a public relationship and people are staring.”

“They’re staring because you’re a beautiful, extremely famous person. Not because we’re both men.”

Akaashi glanced up, “Beautiful?”

“Uh h— Hey, wanna go in there?”

Akaashi held his breath and felt great relief when it wasn’t a clothing store. All of the images of absolutely stunning, impossibly thin models were driving him insane. He stared into the pet store before nodding enthusiastically. Bokuto beamed and charged forward, dragging the unexpecting Akaashi along behind him. They moved within the thankfully nearly empty and very quiet pet store. Akaashi took in all the cages and the smell of wood chips.

Bokuto led him forward and Akaashi stopped dead in front of an enclosure before leaning down to get a better look at the rabbits. He smiled and took his hand away from Bokuto’s to kneel in front of it. The older man stared down at him, then startled as Akaashi whipped around to look at him.

“Think they’ll let me hold one? They look so soft.”

“Probably. I can ask if ya want.”

Akaashi looked back and stared at the rodents, “Okay.”

Bokuto wandered to the counter and stared at the uninterested employee, who played on her phone. She looked entirely exhausted. He leaned over and raised his eyebrows.

“Hello?”

“What?” She popped her gum.

“I was wondering if it was possible to hold a—“

“No, we don’t do that.”

“Oh, okay,” Bokuto stood up. “Alright, then. Thanks.”

“Uh huh,” she glanced up before doing a double take. “Oh, my god.”

Bokuto turned back and blinked at her suddenly very shocked and alert face. He felt annoyed. Angry. A little flattered.

“You’re Kōtarō Bokuto.”

“Yeah,” he said.

She quickly stood and grabbed a set of keys, “I am  _ so  _ sorry. What did you want to see?”

“To start with, you taking your employment more seriously,” he shocked even himself by saying.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered with a severe blush.

Bokuto waved a dismissive hand and pointed over to where Akaashi still watched the bunnies curiously from his squatting position, “A bunny if that’s alright.”

She nodded enthusiastically and froze as her eyes landed on Akaashi, “No way. What is going on?”

Bokuto forced a chuckle, “It’s alright. He’s just a guy.”

_ ‘A very annoyingly entitled guy.’ _

She stared up at him and nodded again before moving forward to the enclosure, “You want to hold one?”

“Yes,” Akaashi whispered as he stood to get out of her way.

She smiled and unlocked the top then risked a glance back at him, “Which one?”

Akaashi hummed and moved beside her and Bokuto could see her soul leaving her body as she entirely forgot about his existence. Akaashi smiled and pointed.

“The brown one.”

She laughed and leaned down before catching the small creature. She held out the bunny to Akaashi, who seemed put off by its kicking feet. He hesitantly reached out and struggled to take it from the girl, brushing their hands together and Bokuto could swear she’d pass out. Once Akaashi had the rabbit pressed into his chest he turned and beamed at Bokuto.

“Look!”

“I see,” Bokuto smiled, and he was scared to find it was entirely genuine.

Akaashi turned back and laughed loudly as the bunny stretched and sniffed his jaw, “I love her.”

“Looks like she likes you, too,” Bokuto said and reached out to pet its ears.

Akaashi turned dramatically away as the bunny cringed from his touch, “You’re scaring her! Gentle, you big oaf.”

Bokuto would’ve been hurt if his voice wasn’t dripping with humor. He laughed lightly and reached out again, that time from below the bunny’s head and succeeded in petting its ears. After another few moments of Bokuto and the employee watching him, the older man spoke gently.

“Maybe we should move on.”

“But  _ look,”  _ Akaashi cooed. “I can’t just leave her here.”

“You can’t impulse buy a rabbit,” Bokuto laughed. “C’mon, it’s bad when I’m the voice of reason.”

Akaashi sighed and hugged the rabbit lightly before leaning forward to gently place the rabbit back into its enclosure with its friends. He frowned down at them as they all piled onto each other to sleep.

“At least she isn’t alone.”

The employee smiled as she closed the enclosure, “I was about to feed the hedgehog if you want to try that, too.”

Akaashi’s jaw dropped as he quickly followed behind her, “Uh, yeah.”

Bokuto raised his eyebrows and trailed behind them as the employee took out a wicker basket with a cloth inside, then all the feeding materials. She placed them all on the counter at the checkout before excusing herself and returning with the small creature. Bokuto covered his ears discreetly as Akaashi did all but shriek.

_ “IT’S SO SMALL!” _

The employee laughed loudly and placed it needles down into the basket, where it yawned and just laid. Akaashi balked at it as the employee tapped its nose and cooed.

“He’s just a baby.”

“Oh, my god,” Akaashi whispered and leaned down before reaching behind him. “Kōtarō, come look at him.”

“I see him,” Bokuto whispered as he leaned beside Akaashi. “Very cute.”

_ “Very  _ cute,” Akaashi nodded gravely.

“I call him Hendrix,” she said. “But don’t tell my boss because we’re not supposed to name them.”

Akaashi stared at her with an open mouth as she prepared to feed the hedgehog before looking back at him, “Hendrix, you’re a very handsome little man.”

The employee snorted out a laugh and handed Akaashi the tweezers holding a larvae. Bokuto stared in disgust at the bug, but Akaashi quickly took it from her and pressed the bug to Hendrix’s mouth. The hedgehog slowly opened its mouth and began chewing at it. Bokuto watched Akaashi closely as he seemed to be legitimately dying of cuteness.

Once the larvae was gone, Akaashi handed the long tweezers back to the employee, who smiled at them. Bokuto felt sick after watching Hendrix eat.

“Hey, let’s get something to eat,” he whispered as he nudged Akaashi again with his elbow.

Akaashi looked back and stuck his bottom lip out with puppy eyes. Bokuto was about to tell him never mind when Akaashi nodded and stood.

“Okay.”

Akaashi busied himself with getting the fur off of himself as the employee continued feeding Hendrix. He then glanced up at Bokuto.

“I should buy the bunny.”

“You really shouldn’t,” Bokuto forced a laugh.

“I can’t just leave her,” Akaashi repeated.

Bokuto was about to respond when the employee did first, “I hear ya. Hendrix is, like, my  _ baby.  _ I love him so much, but I can’t buy him because it’s too expensive to start.”

Bokuto frowned as Akaashi looked at her strangely and asked, “How much could a hedgehog possibly be?”

She shrugged, “Five hundred at most. For Hendrix anyways. And all of the stuff he’d need.”

“Five hundred,” Akaashi said slowly and looked at Bokuto.

“I know it probably doesn’t sound like much,” she laughed. “As a student, though, that’s, like, the lottery.”

Akaashi hummed flatly and nodded, eliciting a harder frown from Bokuto. She smiled at them before standing with Hendrix in one hand and the empty larva container in the other.

“It was really great meeting you two. Thank you for this.”

“Yeah, always nice to meet a fan,” Bokuto smiled easily.

“Yeah,” Akaashi mumbled.

_ ‘Not a single please or thank you this entire time and now not even a goodbye?’  _ Bokuto thought.  _ ‘Guess that’s what a lifetime of getting whatever you want whenever you want it will do to ya.’ _

They watched her walk away and Akaashi smiled at Bokuto, “I liked her!”

“Really?”

Bokuto leaned over curiously as Akaashi stole a pen and paper from the other side of the counter and began scribbling.

“Yeah!” He said. “Didn’t you?”

“Uh, yeah, but it just didn’t seem like you really—“ Bokuto cut himself off as Akaashi thrust the pen in his hand.

“Now you sign where I left the space.”

Bokuto leaned over the counter and read Akaashi’s small, neat writing,  _ ‘Thank you for this, Sarah. I loved Beatrice (the brown one, I named her (but don’t tell your boss)) and Hendrix. Please email tetsuroukuroo@remiv.com. I’d like to pay your tuition so hopefully you can love Hendrix for longer. Love from’  _ then his large signature. Bokuto deeply furrowed his brow and tapped the paper.

“Okay, you’re drunker than I thought.”

“What? Can you not read it?” Akaashi leaned back over.

Bokuto lowered his voice, “You can’t pay someone’s  _ tuition.  _ I mean… If this is about the hedgehog and you’re feelin’ generous, buy her the hedgehog. Tuition is expensive.”

_ ‘Not that you’d know.’ _

“No, I want to pay her tuition. Sign your name, Kōtarō.”

Bokuto scowled as he heard the employee— Sarah, as Akaashi seemed to notice— and did so before turning and leading Akaashi out of the store by the small of his back.

“Okay, I get you may not  _ know—“ _

“I  _ know,  _ Kōtarō. I like to do stuff like this sometimes. Even if hers ran high, two hundred thousand dollars to me is like… A fancy meal for her. You know? Tetsurō is especially a fan of the tuition thing. He said,  _ ‘If someone randomly paid my tuition even for a semester when I was in school, I’d cry for three years’.  _ Apparently it means a lot to people.”

_ “Okay,”  _ Bokuto paused.  _ “How much do you make, holy shit.” _

Akaashi blinked at him, “How rude.”

“Sorry, but seriously. How much are you worth? I knew you were famous, but  _ damn.” _

“I don’t know. Google it.”

“You— Oh, my god.”

“Besides,” Akaashi continued walking and Bokuto followed. “She was really nice. She didn’t touch me. She didn’t ask questions. She didn’t even ask for a photo or autograph.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Bokuto mumbled.

They walked through the mall and Akaashi slunk back further into Bokuto the further they got. Bokuto finally looked around and saw people staring at them and lots had their cameras out. 

Then, tragedy.

A mother stood with a child before urging her forward. Akaashi stood practically pressed into Bokuto’s side when he noticed the child approaching him. He glanced down and smiled at her before zipping his jacket up, obscuring the child’s— and unfortunately, Bokuto’s— view from his nipple rings before kneeling down and listening to the child whisper. Akaashi took her hand and nodded with a smile before picking her up and facing the mother, who already had the camera ready. Bokuto walked backwards and out of the background as she snapped a photo. He smiled to himself as the child whispered to Akaashi again and the actor feigned great interest as he spoke back before putting her down and sending her back to her mother.

Then, pandemonium.

Once the seal was broken and Akaashi responded well to being approached once, people found they were  _ all  _ comfortable with doing so as well.

It was then that Bokuto noticed just who the  _ real  _ celebrity actually was.

He watched from a short distance as Akaashi was stopped repeatedly in short succession for autographs or photos, then stopped fully as people formed around him. Bokuto noticed the tenseness in his back and how his smile got faker, but never less gorgeous, each time.

He only stepped in when a group of teenage boys approached and Akaashi shot a look Bokuto’s way, absolute panic in his eyes. Bokuto stepped forward and laughed as he took him under his arm and held a hand up to the people.

“Excuse us! Nothin’ personal, but it’s my baby’s birthday. We gotta get movin’ if we’re makin’ dinner.”

There was some confused, or otherwise disappointed chatter as Akaashi clung to Bokuto’s shirt while he was led away. The older man really felt the weight of his grip in the fabric pulling over his shoulders. He glanced down at Akaashi, who’d somehow produced large sunglasses and placed them over his face.

“It’s about to get worse,” Akaashi whispered as Bokuto pushed the door open.

And worse it was.

If Bokuto ever thought he was caught in a crowd before, then he was unprepared for the mob waiting for them. He blinked at the blinding flashes and Akaashi cringed into his side. Bokuto let out a large breath and let go of Akaashi, who immediately reached out for him again. He shrugged his jacket off before draping it over his arm and holding it up to shield them partially from the lens’s view and took Akaashi protectively back into his side as they all but jogged back to the vehicle.

He got Akaashi securely back inside before moving to his own side and prayed his thanks for tinted windows, even if they could still perfectly see all the flashing lights.

“Tetsurō earns his living just by keeping them away from me,” Akaashi heaved.

“Yeah,” Bokuto breathed as he started the engine and began backing out. He knew from experience that they’d move when he did. “God bless him, then.”

They only sighed out their relief when they hit the highway again.

“This is why I don’t leave my house.”

Bokuto hummed, “At least we accomplished goal one.”

“So, we can go home?” Akaashi perked up. “Or, I guess to my home?”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Bokuto held a dismissive hand up. “Not yet! We haven’t even celebrated your birthday!”

Akaashi groaned, “We can’t just celebrate by going to sleep in different rooms and not talking anymore?”

“And here I was, thinking we were bonding.”

Akaashi stared at him, “We were until you asked how much I was worth.”

_ “I’m sorry!”  _ Bokuto laughed. “But, like,  _ an entire tuition?  _ On the fly? That’s just a bit wild. I dunno.”

“If I can do something like that then why wouldn't I?”

“No, it’s  _ good,  _ it’s just  _ wild  _ that you  _ can.” _

“You can’t?” Akaashi raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise.

_ “No,”  _ Bokuto laughed.

“Oh.”

“Seriously,” Bokuto slapped him in the arm with the back of his hand. “How much are you worth?”

“I don’t  _ know,”  _ Akaashi groaned.

“Google it.”

Akaashi sighed and took his phone out before typing for a second. He frowned at his phone and held it up to Bokuto. The older man glanced over, then did it four more times before he both saw and actually believed the number he was looking at.

_ “Seventy million?” _

“I guess,” Akaashi shrugged.

It was at that moment that Bokuto realized how detached from reality Akaashi was.

_ “How?” _

“I don’t know.”

“How don’t you know that you’re worth  _ seventy million  _ dollars?”

Akaashi shrugged, “Tetsurō takes care of my finances.”

“He does?”

“Uh huh.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s my manager.”

_ ‘Or because he’s your lover? Or your Supreme Life Overlord? Maybe puppet master.’ _

“You should still…  _ know  _ about your money, though.”

“Why? Tetsurō takes care of my finances.”

“Because… Giving one person all that power is dangerous?”

Akaashi continued staring at his phone, entirely uninterested in the conversation, “Why? It’s Tetsurō.”

Bokuto frowned as he thought about it.  _ Really  _ thought about it.

_ ‘You’ve handed a grown man your money, career, heart and life. One that apparently won’t commit. One that  _ clearly  _ had something with the other man that runs your life. Even I could see that. What happens when he walks away? Didn’t he? How does this work? I even have a problem with this and I’m a known idiot. Why don’t you?’ _

“Sure.”

“Don’t you even  _ trust  _ Tetsurō?” Akaashi snapped. “He’s your manager, too. You should trust him.”

“I trust him but I also believe in being financially independent.”

_ “Financially independent?  _ It’s still my money. It’s not like I stored it away under his name or signed it over to him.”

“Yeah, but you still don’t understand how it works. Or where it goes. Or what he could be doing wit—“

_ “He wouldn’t do that.” _

Bokuto glanced over at his outraged face and held his hands up in surrender, “Okay, okay, my bad.”

_ ‘Yeah, I’m definitely only attracted to the character you’re playing in our movie. Fuck the real you. Pardon me for actually caring.’ _

“I want to go home.”

“Nah, I have plans.”

“No, I want to go  _ home.” _

“Soon.”

“So, now you’re kidnapping me?”

“More like forcing you to work.”

_ ‘Seriously. I get he’s a kid, but I don’t like being the voice of reason. It’s scary.’ _

“Whatever. Can I at least drink more of your alcohol then? I need it after all of that.”

“Yeah.”

Bokuto watched him from his peripheral as he slammed back far more than he was expecting before ripping it from his hand.

_ “Relax.” _

He rolled his eyes as Akaashi stuck his tongue out and said, “Lame.”

“How  _ old  _ are you?”

“Nineteen! Remember? My birthday? That’s the reason I can’t go home and have to sit here with you.”

“Okay, how about you act like it then?”

Akaashi ignored him in favor of watching the lights pass, “Wanna know what I’m  _ really  _ angry about?”

_ ‘No. Not at all.’ _

“Sure.”

“There was a  _ Cinnabon  _ there. I could  _ smell  _ it and I couldn’t go to it.”

“I thought you weren’t hungry?”

“I’d sell my entire life for a cinnamon roll. Okay? All of it. Everything. For  _ one.” _

“Would you like to go get a cinnamon roll, Keiji?”

Akaashi shrugged and looked back out the window, “Okay.”

Bokuto resisted the urge to sigh and reminded himself repeatedly of the promise he made to himself to give Akaashi a good birthday despite whatever Kuroo must’ve said to him.

_ ‘Maybe I can also show him what it looks like when someone actually gives a shit about what’s good for him.’ _

“I’m gonna make you do some normal people stuff.”

“Normal people stuff?” Akaashi snapped his head back over to him.

“Uh huh. We’re going to go to the  _ grocery store  _ first.”

“I’ve been to the grocery store.”

“No, no. Not  _ Whole Foods.  _ A regular one.”

_ “Why?” _

“So ya can see what it's like to be normal for a few minutes. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“I guess it’s interesting.”

“First thing to do is pretend you have no money.”

“What?”

“Normal people don’t go into stores knowing they can leave with whatever they want. They  _ budget.” _

“What do you know about being normal?”

“I was a starving actor up until about six years ago, Keiji. Trust me. I know somethin’ about surviving.”

Akaashi hummed, “Okay? What’s the ‘budget’ then? Like two or three hundred?”

Bokuto glanced over, looking for the humor in his face but found none, “What do you think we’re shopping for? A family of four for two weeks?”

Akaashi blushed and bit his lip before whispering, “I don’t know how much things cost… I normally just tap my card when I’m done and then it’s over. Sometimes Tetsurō will tell me if I’m spending too much, but that doesn’t happen too often.”

“Yeah, see… This is what I mean.”

“Okay. Then how much would you have when you’d go?”

“Depends on the week and if there was work. A good week, maybe seventy or eighty dollars, a bad one I just wouldn’t eat.”

“Oh.”

“Uh huh.”

“Because you couldn’t. Because of money, not because of Tetsurō.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I see,” Akaashi looked forward. “So, how much are we spending?”

“Let’s say… Forty dollars.”

Akaashi hummed, “Okay. That shouldn’t be too bad. Right?”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Okay. I’ll see, then.”

They rode in silence before pulling into a bargain store’s lot and Bokuto got Akaashi’s door for him again.

_ ‘Still no thank you.’ _

They walked inside and Akaashi removed his sunglasses to stare around at the dim lights. He hummed lowly and waited for Bokuto to push the metal bars in for him.

“What are we even shopping for?” Akaashi asked.

“Snacks and wine,” Bokuto nodded.

“Okay. Snacks and wine. That won’t go over forty dollars. I’m sure.”

Bokuto stared at Akaashi who stared at the baskets before sighing and picking one up. He followed the young actor through the peopleless aisles and silently thanked god for that. Akaashi glanced around half heartedly at the snacks before staring at Bokuto.

“I don’t want any of this.”

“What do you want?”

“A cinnamon roll. But not from here.”

“Okay. Do you have  _ Kraft Dinner  _ at your house? Because I will actually kill myself if you don’t.”

Akaashi cocked his head before slowly shaking it, “What’s that?”

Bokuto raised his eyebrows, “Oh, man. Come on.”

Akaashi furrowed his brow and followed Bokuto to a new aisle and stared at the box that was thrusted into his hands.

“Instant mac and cheese? This sounds disgusting.”

“You’re tryin’ it.”

“Okay,” Akaashi said before throwing it into the basket. “It says five for five. Is that good?”

“Sure.”

Akaashi nodded and threw four more into the basket before moving back up the aisles when something caught his eye.

“Oh, my god, ice cream.”

Bokuto chuckled as Akaashi threw the freezer door open and immediately pulled out a small container of  _ Ben and Jerry’s  _ peanut butter and chocolate flavored ice cream and put it in the basket.

“So, where are you at, then?”

“Oh,” Akaashi spun back to look at the price. “Wow. Really? So, that makes eleven dollars.”

“Yep, but don’t forget about taxes.”

“Taxes,” Akaashi breathed. “How much are taxes?”

_ ‘Oh, my god. You’re so spoiled but you look so cute. I hate you so much but I wanna put you in my pocket and teach you everything I know. Which isn’t much, but apparently still more than you.’ _

“I just add five dollars to everything to play it safe.”

“So, I’m at sixteen dollars, then.”

“Yep.”

Akaashi continued through the store and even grabbed Bokuto’s hand out of his own volition, though his exact reasoning remained a mystery to the older man. Maybe he just liked the normalcy and domesticity of the act, but Bokuto couldn’t be sure. He just threaded his fingers through his and followed him around. His eyes travelled down to Akaashi’s fat ass as he walked.

_ ‘All things considered, my job isn’t so bad.’ _

Akaashi also grabbed a package of oatmeal muffins priced at seven dollars. Bokuto stopped reminding him to look at prices.

“Oh, wine,” Akaashi breathed. “I can’t touch that, so, it’s on you.”

“Okay,” Bokuto nodded, remembering once again how young he really was. “You pick it out, though.”

“Okay.”

He watched Akaashi browse before pointing at a California blend, “It looks pretty.”

“Okay,” Bokuto picked up the bottle and placed it with the rest of the things. “Ready to get outta here?”

“Oh,” Akaashi looked at the price of the wine before looking at the basket. “I forgot to look, but I’m  _ certain  _ this can’t be forty dollars worth of stuff. Yeah, let’s go.”

“Okay,” Bokuto nodded and walked hand in hand with him to the 21+ checkout.

He showed the cashier his identification before he read out their total.

“Your total is forty five dollars and twenty cents.”

Bokuto glanced at Akaashi’s red cheeks before pulling out his wallet, “Debit.”

Once they were back in the car, Akaashi blinked at him, “How? We got, like, eight things.”

“Livin’ is expensive.”

“Wow,” Akaashi breathed. “So on a good week you could only buy about sixteen things?”

“Hm? Yeah. The wine you picked was twenty dollars, which is about how much two packs of chicken and maybe some beef costs, too. It’s pretty bad. Lots of people can’t afford to eat healthily.”

Akaashi pursed his lips, “That’s sad. I mean, I  _ knew  _ that, but seeing how much forty dollars gets you… It just isn’t a lot.”

“No, it isn’t,” Bokuto agreed as he started driving. “Seatbelt. Also, you went over. If we  _ really  _ only had forty dollars, you’d have to put something back.”

Akaashi’s eyes widened with realization, “That’s so embarrassing.”

“Uh huh. Really is.”

“My icecream is gonna melt.”

“Oh, here,” Bokuto opened a different hatch above the glovebox and tapped it. “It’s a cooler.”

“Oh, wow, cool,” Akaashi smiled as he put his ice cream inside.

The younger man pursed his lips and looked up at Bokuto, who just hummed.

“So, if that’s how little forty dollars gets you, then tuition is really a lot. Like,  _ a lot.” _

“Yep. That’s why Tetsurō said he’d cry for however many years you said, I dunno. You paying this girl’s tuition is probably saving her from  _ decades  _ of debt.”

“Debt,” Akaashi breathed.

“Debt ruins lives. I’m still payin’ off debt.”

Akaashi blinked at him, “You are?”

“Uh huh. Living is more expensive than lots of people can afford. Most people. You’re doing good things, but I just wanted you to understand what exactly you’re doing.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Akaashi then turned the radio on and they drove for a bit before Bokuto pulled into a McDonald’s drive through. Akaashi leaned forward curiously.

“What are we doing here?”

“Getting you a cinnamon roll.”

“Here?”

“Yep. I want a rootbeer.”

“Oh, okay.”

Bokuto ordered and pulled to the first window. Akaashi leaned forward to look at the teenager through the window.

“I’ll pay since you paid back there.”

“No.”

“Yes,” Akaashi laughed as he took his wallet out.

The teenager opened the window, “Four sixty two?”

“Yeah,” Bokuto swatted Akaashi’s hand away as he reached for his own wallet.

The kid leaned over and caught Akaashi’s eye as he fought with Bokuto, “Is that Keiji Akaashi?”

“Yes!” Akaashi beamed. “Hi, how are you? It’s debit.”

Bokuto scowled and ripped Akaashi’s card from his hand as the boy extended the debit machine with wide eyes. Akaashi smiled smugly at Bokuto.

“So, you’re just, like, here. And, like, buying food. And I’m like, taking your money,” the boy said.

Akaashi was about to respond when he noticed Bokuto tap his own card instead and quickly reached to hit him in the chest as he yelled incredulously,  _ “Kōtarō!” _

“Wait, Kōtarō? As in Bokuto?  _ Cool car.” _ The boy leaned closer.

Bokuto smiled evilly at Akaashi before smiling kindly to the boy and slipped him a twenty dollar bill with the machine.

“Don’t put that in the till, either. Right in your pocket. …Yep. Very good. Have a nice night!”

Akaashi laughed and leaned into Bokuto as he pulled away from the boy’s stunned face to the next window. He laughed harder and hid his face in the side of Bokuto’s shoulder as a bunch of staff gathered around the next window to presumably see if the rumors were true.

A small girl handed them their bag, then the drink with a straw. Bokuto and Akaashi smiled at her and called out a loud thank you in perfect unison.

_ ‘Wow. Manners.’ _

Akaashi placed the bag between his feet and leaned back into his own space, “Can we  _ please  _ go home now?”

_ ‘Twice in a row? Wow!’ _

“Not yet. Part of the experience is eating the food you bought in the drive through in your car right in the parking lot.”

“I hate it, let’s do it.”

Bokuto laughed and parked in a space before reaching past Akaashi to steal one of his muffins.

_ ‘Eh. I bought ‘em, anyway.’ _

He watched Akaashi open the cinnamon roll’s box, then shouted at him to stop. The younger actor froze and stared up confusedly as Bokuto dug into his pocket and produced a zippo lighter and flipping the lid open. 

He held it just above the cinnamon roll and the soft light illuminated Akaashi’s soft, flushed features perfectly. It took Bokuto a second to remember what he was doing.

_ “Happy birthday to you,”  _ Bokuto sang with a goofy smile and his heart squeezed as Akaashi smiled and blushed bashfully.  _ “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Keiiiijiiiii! Happy birthday to you!” _

Akaashi rolled his eyes and blew on the flame, casting them into darkness once again until their eyes readjusted to  _ not  _ staring directly into a flame.

“What’d ya wish for?” Bokuto asked before lighting a cigarette.

Akaashi scrunched his face up at the smell, “I can’t tell you. Or it won’t come true.”

“What if I  _ guess?” _

“You’d never guess.”

Bokuto hummed and pretended to think, “Was it Beatrice?”

Akaashi side eyed him, “I can’t tell you that or it won’t come true.”

Bokuto laughed before alternating between smoking, drinking his pop and eating the muffin while Akaashi made slow work of half of his cinnamon roll before shutting it again. Bokuto threw his butt out the window and slammed his cup down into the holder and Akaashi smiled at him before placing his bag back on the floor.

“Home time?”

“Not quite yet.”

Akaashi pursed his lips, “Then what?”

“I got you somethin’.”

Akaashi furrowed his brow and turned more towards him, “Oh?”

Bokuto reached into the console before handing Akaashi a small, velvet box. The younger man took it and ran his finger over the silver embossing reading  _ Tiffany and Co..  _ He slowly opened the box and stared down at the dainty, gold necklace. There were three diamonds spread over the bottom half. Akaashi stared at it for so long that Bokuto became nervous despite the lack of emotional stake in it.

_ ‘Tetsurō made me get you something. I swear. I didn’t spend nearly fourteen thousand dollars on you because I wanted to. It’s just that the payoff is bigger than—‘ _

He froze as Akaashi glanced up at him. He wore a small, soft smile. He looked back down and returned the lid to the box before placing it on his lap.

“It’s beautiful, Kōtarō. Thank you.”

_ ‘Then why do your eyes look so upset?’ _

“Sure. Tetsurō wants you to post that on your instagram.”

Bokuto frowned as Akaashi’s brow furrowed and his head snapped up before smiling largely, but it didn’t reach his eye.

“Yes. I’ll caption it,  _ ‘best boyfriend ever’  _ or something equally disgusting. Do you think that’ll be good?”

“Yeah,” Bokuto breathed as he shifted back into gear. “Sounds great.”

Neither spoke again until they reached Akaashi’s home once again. They merely listened to their own thoughts which sounded louder than the radio.

_ “Calabasas,”  _ Bokuto sang as he leaned out the window to press the code in, ignoring the flashing lights. “Home of the Incurably Wealthy!”

Akaashi chuckled half heartedly, “Ready for this show? You can just park by the door. I’m not expecting anyone any time soon.”

“Sounds good.”

Bokuto got out with his drink before helping Akaashi out of his seat and taking both bags for him. He locked the car doors and felt his heart race as not only were there flashing lights, but also shouted questions.

_ ‘ARE YOU TWO A COUPLE NOW?’  _ Was a notable one.

“Shall we put their minds at ease?” Akaashi whispered at the top of the stairs.

“Sounds like our mission,” Bokuto mumbled.

Akaashi pretended to laugh before leaning up and wrapping his arms around Bokuto’s neck. The older man slid his eyes shut as Akaashi’s lips met his. It wasn’t like it was their first time or anything, but it  _ was  _ their first time off set. Regardless, the cameras remained and they played their roles.

Bokuto opened his eyes as Akaashi moved to unlock the door. He glanced around one last time at the moss covered walls and warm lights outside before his life changed with what would surely be the most impressive home he’d ever been invited into on such a personal scale.

He was blown away  _ immediately  _ upon walking inside. Light walls, dark floors. Mouldings in the walls. Elegant decor and heavy curtains over all of the large, large windows.

“Wow, this is really your house?”

His head snapped over to Akaashi, who laughed loudly, “What?”

“That’s  _ my line,  _ Mr. Hayley.”

Bokuto’s eyes brightened with realization before settling into a smug smile and trying not to gape at the sheer size and expanse of the kitchen as Akaashi placed his ice cream into the freezer, “Noah, I told you to call me James.”

Akaashi turned dramatically as he pushed out the  _ best  _ fake laugh Bokuto had ever heard and leaned on the island counter between them, “How about Jim?”

Bokuto leaned against the other side of the counter,  _ “Absolutely  _ not.”

“Ah, well,” Akaashi shrugged and stood, pretending to look around, “Your house is very impressive anyway, James.”

Bokuto smiled and pressed a hand into Akaashi’s cheek, “Would you like to see more of it, then?”

Akaashi leaned far into his touch and Bokuto’s gut curled at his seductive tone, “Only if it’s the bedroom.”

Bokuto stood and walked around to Akaashi’s side of the counter, all the while keeping his hand on his cheek, “How unimaginative.”

Akaashi furrowed his brow and fluttered his eyelashes as he moved closer and Bokuto pulled him in by the waist as he continued caressing his cheek.

“How terribly boring… To think love can only happen in the bedroom.”

_ “Love?”  _ Akaashi chuckled.

“Don’t make me laugh,” Bokuto beamed down at him. “You’re a smart kid. You know what this is.”

“Yes,” Akaashi whispered and turned dramatically in his arms, “I know you’re  _ incapable  _ of  _ real love.” _

“Are you asking for proof?” Bokuto whispered into his ear.

Akaashi sighed loudly and reached his hand back over to Bokuto’s head as the older man pulled his face closer by the chin. Akaashi glanced between his eyes and lips.

“Irrefutable evidence, more like.”

“Anything you want,” Bokuto breathed against his lips before Akaashi closed the space between them.

Bokuto flatted his hand against Akaashi’s cheek, keeping him close as they kissed. He pulled back when he felt Akaashi’s broad smile and furrowed his brow. His heart absolutely  _ ate  _ itself at how his lips pulled over his impossibly white teeth.

“What?”

“We’re gonna  _ kill  _ that scene!” Akaashi smiled as he separated from Bokuto to finish putting things away.

Bokuto attempted to keep his expression even, “Hell ya, we are!”

Once Akaashi was done, Bokuto was amidst a spiral of confused feelings. They blinked at each other and Akaashi held up the bottle of wine. Bokuto beamed and unscrewed the top— it was twenty dollars. Could he really expect a cork?— and downed a good quarter of it straight from the bottle. He handed it back to Akaashi, who did the same before gagging.

_ “Wow,  _ could that taste any  _ worse?” _

Bokuto chuckled and held the straw of his rootbeer to his lips, which Akaashi gladly drank down, “Yeah, but wine drunks hit different.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Akaashi said as he slugged more wine down and chased with Bokuto’s rootbeer.

“Why don’t you give me the real tour, Noah?”

“Anything you want, Mr. Hayley.”

“Call me James.”

“Sure thing, Jimbo.”

Bokuto laughed and followed Akaashi to the doorway. They made their way through three equally impressive living spaces but for entirely separate reasons, a fully stocked— score— bar, a home theatre, a gym, and one bedroom and one bathroom. Bokuto’s favorite was easily the bathroom. It was insane.

One of Akaashi’s bathrooms— and apparently there were nine of them— was nearly as large as Bokuto’s living room. It had accommodations and features that Bokuto couldn’t even name. Overall, it was unspeakably impressive. Akaashi had apparently shown him a guest room before the master suite because they were very different, according to him.

Bokuto quickly learned that was very true as the younger man pushed the door open, exposing a very, very large, nearly empty room. The bed was like an inground pool. And circular.

_ ‘That’s so fuckin’ cool.’ _

Bokuto glanced at the wall closest to him and the ceiling where what he assumed was a lit pool reflected its blue light. He slowly crossed to one large window and glanced into the backyard where there was a large garden and patio, all lit with fairy lights as well as an oversized pool, complete with a small waterfall.

“Wow.”

“It’s pretty nice,” Akaashi agreed quietly from behind him.

“No offense, but all of this for just you? What’d you say? Six beds, nine baths?”

“Nearly twelve thousand square feet,” Akaashi nodded gravely. “I don’t need all this. No one does. I trust my manager, though, and so if he says this is good for charity galas and PR events, I believe him.”

“Must get lonely,” Bokuto thought aloud, the wine buzzing in him.

Akaashi glanced at him before turning to the first door on one side of the room. Bokuto stepped inside the en suite bathroom and noted how disused it seemed to be, but didn’t ask. He simply complimented the beautiful space before Akaashi moved to the other side of the room and opened that door.

“This is my closet.”

Bokuto gaped at the space. He couldn’t help it. It was the size of his own bedroom. Maybe bigger. There was a window at the far end with a small table holding a laptop and  _ two  _ chairs. A sofa on another wall. There was even a television  _ and  _ a wine fridge— though, it only contained water bottles and  _ Coke Zero.  _ A large counter in the middle, filled with drawers. Cabinets. Racks. Shelves. And all of it was full. Mostly with clothes or shoes or accessories. Occasionally there were framed photos or various knickknacks. The pool reflected inside that room, too.

“Wow,” he breathed.

“This is my favorite spot in the entire house. I probably spend most of my time here.”

“Can’t say I blame ya.”

“Yeah,” Akaashi nodded. “So, there you have it.”

“It’s incredible. Truly.”

“Well,” Akaashi breathed before turning around. “You can be here whenever you want. I doubt we’d ever even see each other.”

Bokuto frowned after him and followed him down what could only be described as a grand staircase from a fairytale. They stood in the foyer and finished off their second bottle of wine, which was  _ much  _ better than the first. Bokuto stared at Akaashi through fuzzy vision.

_ ‘If I’m fuzzy, he’s spinning. I’m sure. We should stop now.’ _

Only, they didn’t. Of course they didn’t. They drank their way through another bottle and were absolutely smashed. Bokuto force fed Akaashi burned  _ Kraft Dinner,  _ but the young actor swore he loved it. Eventually they decided it’d be  _ hilarious  _ to watch Akaashi’s old show on the television. They sat on the floor, sharing their fourth bottle and watching Akaashi on the screen.

“I had to redo that scene, like, a fuckin’  _ million  _ times,” Akaashi howled with laughter. “My voice kept breaking. It  _ sucked.” _

Bokuto slapped his hand into the carpet as tears formed in his eyes,  _ “They couldn’t have thought that makeup hid that zit. You had a second head, dude.” _

Akaashi crumbled over on himself as he laughed,  _ “It was so bad!” _

Their laughter didn’t end as Akaashi’s phone rang, until he looked at the caller ID. Bokuto frowned at his frown as he picked it up and placed it on speaker on the floor.

“You’re on speaker,” Akaashi said flatly.

_ “Are you alone?” _ Kuroo asked.

“No.”

_ “How was your evening?” _

“Fine.”

_ “Did you have fun?” _

“No.”

Bokuto frowned deeper, but Akaashi shook his head with a smile, allowing Bokuto to smile again.

_ “You haven’t posted anything on your socials.” _

“Yeah, because I’m busy.”

_ “Doing what?” _

“Being on the  _ date  _ you forced me to be on.”

Kuroo paused for too long and Bokuto stared uncomfortably at Akaashi’s growing smile.

_ ‘Maybe he and I are the same level of bratty, actually. That’s not good.’ _

_ “I got an email about a tuition?” _

“Uh huh,” Akaashi beamed. “Her name is Sarah.”

_ “I saw that.” _

“She was really nife. Shit.  _ Nice.  _ She deserves it.”

_ “Are you… Are you  _ drunk?”

“No,” Akaashi giggled as he caught Bokuto’s eye and the older man struggled to stifle his own laugh.

_ “Keiji. Seriously?” _

“Ugh, you’re so  _ lame.  _ So what? You’re always telling me to do this stuff!”

Kuroo sighed, _ “I guess so. Are you at least being safe?” _

“No, I’m swimming. Then, when I’m done that, I’m gonna drive Kōtarō’s car into a field of toddlers. Then, when I’m done  _ that—“ _

_ “Okay, okay, okay. Enough. So, her tuition comes to about two hundred seventy five thou—“ _

“I don’t care. Make a decision.”

_ “Okay, but—“ _

“I don’t  _ care.  _ Make a  _ decision.” _

_ “Alrighty, then. I’ll talk to you when you’re capable of a mature conversation. Enjoy the rest of your night, Keiji. I hope you had a very happy nineteenth.” _

“Yeah, I bet you do.”

_ “Alright, then. Buh-bye.” _

“Bye,” Akaashi sang before hanging up.

Bokuto frowned harder as the teenager immediately folded in on himself again and groaned loudly. He leaned forward and reached his hands out as Akaashi stood unsteadily.

“I’m gonna get ready for bed, ‘cause I think I may die. Too much rotten grapes.”

Bokuto nodded and stood as Akaashi wavered dangerously, “Do you need help?”

“Nope!” Akaashi trudged forward bravely. “I got it! You can sleep wherever you want!”

“Okay,” Bokuto frowned as he followed a few steps after him to be absolutely sure he could be trusted to walk by himself.

Akaashi laughed and swung his arms as he turned back, speaking far louder than necessary, “That includes my bed! Ya know, if ya dare! Clothes  _ required!” _

_ ‘May have to,’  _ Bokuto thought.  _ ‘Just to be sure you don’t die on your own vomit and I don’t go to jail forever.’ _

Bokuto forced a laugh as Akaashi stumbled on his turn. Akaashi stared forward through rapidly spinning vision. His tongue was numb and he was pretty sure he was floating. He reached the stairs and stared up at the unending mountain of them before deciding his best bet would be to just crawl. So, he did.

He struggled to his feet at the top of the stairs and used the wall as a guide to the furthest bathroom. He slammed the door shut with his foot and began ripping his rings off before catching his reflection. Fear struck his heart.

_ ‘I covered that.’ _

His eyes focused on a message written in what he assumed was his tinted lip balm. He struggled to read it, but when he did, the nausea got much worse.

Neat writing wrote, “You’re beautiful. Stop this.”

Akaashi backed away from the mirror and he attempted desperately to avoid his own eyes as he bent down to open the drawer and just get his rings inside. A new challenge confronted him there.

He collapsed fully onto his knees then sat back on his feet as he pulled a white rose from within and opened the card that accompanied it.

_ ‘I am very sorry that we’re spending this year in this way. I have a question to ask you soon. I left a surprise for you in drawer 14. Two is stronger than one, don’t you think? Congratulations on surviving for nineteen years. - TK’ _

Tears pushed at Akaashi’s eyes as that wasn’t all. Beneath the card was another velvet box. It was also Tiffany. Akaashi opened it and stared at the thin golden bracelets within. The top one held one diamond, while the second held two, placed only a few links apart— just enough space for another. He glanced down at the necklace around his neck. Not his Jesus one, but his Bokuto one. Bokuto insisted he wore it so he could know Akaashi  _ fake  _ appreciated his  _ fake  _ affection. 

“You got me that, too, didn’t you?” He whispered. “I don’t… I don’t know what you want from me, Tetsurō.”

He stared down at the bracelets for an indeterminable amount of time before slowly setting them down and unclasping Bokuto’s necklace from around his neck and placing it gently within that box. He closed it and placed it far at the back of the drawer before returning the rest of his jewelry to the drawer as well. He stood and decided to leave the rest of his routine undone, just over being alone in that room with his brain and his thoughts.

He walked into his bedroom as he took his jacket off at long last and saw Bokuto already passed out in his bed amongst the pillows. Akaashi discarded his jacket to the floor before changing only his pants into pajamas and slowly descended the short steps to his bed. He stared down at Bokuto for a long time. So long that the man detected him in his sleep. Akaashi blinked at him and he blinked back.

Bokuto sat up a touch, “Why do you look so sad?”

“Because I am,” Akaashi whispered, voice breaking.

“Uh oh, sad drunk,” Bokuto chuckled sleepily. “C’mon, you’ll feel better in the morning.”

“I always do…” Akaashi sighed as he got into the bed.

Bokuto stared at him for awhile, “Do ya need a hug?”

“I don’t know,” Akaashi told the ceiling.

“Wanna try it and if ya don’t like it you can punch me?”

Akaashi resisted the urge to look at him and nodded. He nearly cringed as Bokuto shifted closer to him, but that ran clear away from his brain once he was surrounded by his strong warmth. He slowly turned in his arms and laid against his chest. He shut his eyes as Bokuto covered them in the blankets and ran his hand loosely over his back.

“You’re gonna be okay, Keiji.”

Akaashi hummed into his chest as the room continued spinning around him.

“I hope ya had a good birthday.”

“I did,” Akaashi breathed. “Then tomorrow we can go back to being enemies.”

_ “Enemies?”  _ Bokuto chuckled, the sound reverberating through Akaashi’s bones. “I mean, rivals, sure. But  _ enemies?” _

Akaashi laughed lightly and whispered, voice full of sleep, “I can work with rivals. Congratulations on the promotion.”

“Thank you.”

“Ya know,” Akaashi mumbled, his breathing growing rapidly even. “I’m glad you’re sober now. From drugs, anyway. I was really disappointed when you went to rehab. As a real fan of yours, that sucked.”

Bokuto opened his eyes and furrowed his brow, “A fan?”

“Uh huh,” Akaashi nuzzled his face into the space between his arm and chest. “You have flaws. Publicly. That made me feel better about being alive.”

“Oh,” Bokuto said.

He spoke again after a long time.

“I won’t disappoint you again, then.”

Akaashi didn’t respond. He was already asleep. Bokuto watched the water swirl around on the wall until he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer and fell asleep with his cheek on the top of Akaashi’s head.


End file.
